Eternal spirit
by Max801
Summary: Join Max and her friends as they begin to uncover the mystery of Max's mother which leads them to a portal to a hostel world where they gain new friends, new enemies, and strange new powers, and what is the mystery behind the young girl Amber.
1. Chapter 1 Months Before

Eternity

Disclaimer: I do not own the Jak and Daxter series it is owned by Naughty Dog. the only characters I do own are Max, Kya, Alex, and Amber.

Eternity

Renegade

Chapter one

Months Before

_Where are they? They should have been here an hour ago!_ Max thought to her self. She looked down from her spot in the old oak tree and scanned the surroundings for any signs of her friends. When max saw them she climbed down a few branches so that they wouldn't miss her.

"Hey guys, up here!" Max yelled to them. They looked up at the tree and found Max sit on one of the branches. They all smiled at each other and then Max jumped down to meet them, landing on her feet then falling to her butt.

"Max what were you doing up there?" Alex asked as she helped Max off the ground. Max grabbed her hand and pulled her self up.

"Well what do you think?" Max said, "I was waiting for you guys to show up." Max looked up the tree then back to Kya and Alex. There was an unsettling silence between them for a moment…

"So why'd you call us here anyway, Max? You sounded as if you wanted to show us something." Kya asked.

"Oh right, follow me!" Max led them in to the woods, as they went along there was nothing but trees to look at it was all just a big blur of greenery and before long an hour had past by and it was starting to get late. Alex look up at the sky or what she could see of it; it was sort of a blue, purple, pinkish color and she could already see some stars appearing.

"Max it's starting to get late don't you think we should start heading back before someone starts to worry about us?" Alex asked, as she looked back down form the sky. Max kind of gave a little shrug, it really didn't bother her being out late, she actually really liked it.

"Hold on, it's just a little further." Max said, "And plus if you two hadn't taken so long getting out of your house we wouldn't have to be out here right now." Max kept going, but Alex and Kya paused for a moment and looked at each other. Then noticed that Max was getting to far ahead and ran after her. A short while after they had paused, they came a crossed and empty clearing in the wood and Max finally stopped. She waited for Alex and Kya to catch up and as soon as they did they hit the floor tired from all the walking. Kya looked around, but there was really nothing to look at and it was to dark to see any more. Just a faint light of the moon showed through the canopy of trees above.

"Hey, Max where are we?" She asked and got up off her feet to stand closer to Max. Max looked at her friend then over to a dark spot near the edge of the clearing. Alex finally got to her feet and followed them as they disappeared into the shadows. They were all silent till they heard metal beneath their feet. Max backed them up a few feet, and then dropped her backpack to the ground, she knelt down and rummaged trough her bag of a few moments and brought out her flashlight.

"Max what are we doing?" Alex snapped; she turned back the way they had come from. "I mean we're in the middle of no where's vill. Max can we please go, I was supposed to be in over twenty minutes ago! Are you even listening to me? Max!" Alex looked over her shoulder Kya and Max had disappeared. She walked back over to where they had been standing and found a gapping hole in the ground. On the opposite side of the hole was a huge metal door, which they had walked on not only a minute ago. "Guy's where'd you go? Hello… Max… Kya! Hey guys?" Alex looked down into the hole but there wasn't enough light to see in. just then there was a noise from inside Alex froze and listened in silences. All of a sudden Max popped out of the hole and scared the shit out of Alex

"Max what the heck! Why'd you do that, never mind I'm out of here? Alex said she started walking back the way they had come. What'd I do? Max thought to her self, she hosted her self out of the hole and ran after Alex. Kya popped her head out of the hole and watched Max cash after Alex. She watched them argue and Alex walked off, Max went grab her arm and they started yelling at each other.

"This is ridiculous! Max you brought us all the way out here to see a hole in the ground. If you wanted to see a hole in the ground why didn't you just dig one your self?" Alex yelled out, her hands were failing all over the place, it was hard for Kya to see but she could image what both Alex and Max looked like right now. This wasn't the first time they had gotten into a fight and every time they did Max would stand there for the first half with dumbfounded look on the face, it was like she like to fight it gave her an adrenalin rush or something, and then Alex would get so pissed that she'd try and walk away. But just as she tried Max would always do something to bring her right back into the fight. Kya wait for Max to yell out something really stupid to bring Alex back but she didn't this time it looked as if Alex was going to stay and defend her self.

"You know you always do this can't you just be normal? Kya and I are always following you on these crazy expeditions that always have the end result of us fighting." Alex yelled at Max again. Max stood there for a moment.

"Well if you two weren't so late getting out here we would have been in at least an hour ago"Max yelled.

"You still think this is about time? I can believe this, Max for the past three years you have done nothing but drag me into all you stupid expedition and I'm getting tired of it, we never get anything out of them and we always seem to get into a lot of trouble. Can't we just spend a normal weekend home, hang at the mall, go see a movie, or even date. Sorry Max but if this is how it's going to be well then we can't be friends any more, I've got better things to do then trumping around in the woods all night!" Alex had nothing else to say it was over and she had won. She waved bye to Kya then turned and left.

"Alex wait this is different, you haven't even seen what's inside. Alex… Oh come on Al." Max yelled after her, but Alex didn't even turn around. Max stood there and waited but Alex wasn't coming back, max turned back toward Kya and walked back over to her. She went down the stairs and silently by Kya. She followed Max down the stairs and to the other door they had found earlier. They both stopped, Kya looked at Max's grim face and deiced to say something even if it wasn't much help.

"Max you gonna be okay?" Kya asked softly, she looked at Max again but this time she was smiling. Kya smiled too. She hated it when Alex and Max fought but it always turned out good in the end. And plus if Max and Alex didn't fight with each other things just wouldn't be right.

"Yeah she'll get over she always does. Now come on let see where this door takes us." Max said, she gave the flashlight to Kya and then grabbed hold of the doorknob. She tried twisting it with all her might but it wouldn't budge, she kicked the door with her foot and looked back at Kya. Then she remembered that she had her pick with her, she dropped her bag on the ground and started going through it again.

"Max do you really think we should be doing this. I mean if it's locked don't you think that's for a good reason. What if there's a deranged manic living down there, or it one of those strange lab where they created a virus that killed every body, or even worse what if it's haunted." Kya started shacking at just the thought of all those things. Max shook her head and laughed a little.

"Kya you watch way to many horror movies. The only reason a place like this would be out here in the middle of the woods is that the government is truing to cover something up." Max told her, she pulled a small leather pouch and unrolled it. Inside there were a few metal tools, she pulled out a pick and a torsion bar, then rolled the pouch back up and stuck it in her back pocket.

"You mean there could be aliens in this place. That's no better then the rest of it. Please Max can we just leave this alone?" Kya was still trembling; she looked for side-to-side then at Max, who was already starting to work the door.

"Kya there are no aliens out side of area 51. This place could be were they stash all the evidence that isn't needed anymore or the government has it's own little stash of money that no one knows about. I'll tell you what we'll take a quick look and if there's nothing interesting about it we'll leave just like Al, okay." Max asked; Kya shook her head and Max went back too unlocking the door. She put the bar and the pick into the hole, as Kya held the light, and started looking for the tumblers. With in a few minutes she had gotten the door open. "That wasn't so hard. Come lets go in." Max said, she stood up and opened the door and walked in closely followed by Kya. "It's to dark to see, hey Kya you want to give me the flashlight so I can find a light switch or something." Max asked. She felt Kya hand her the flash light and Max grabbed it. She pointed it toward the wall on their right and looked but there was no switch. That's odd; Max thought she pointed the light to the other side of the door but there was still nothing. Max looked up at the ceiling there were over head lights but no switch, Max back up a little and bumped into Kya. Kya fell against the wall and as she hit it the lights flickered on.

"Whow touch activated, that's incredible," Max said, she looked down to the right of her and there was a long hallway that turned to the left at the end. There were a few doors along the hall but nothing else.

"Yeah cool can we go now. I don't like this." Kya said, but it was to late Ma x was already heading for one of the doors with her tools in hand. Kya ran after her afraid to be alone. Max bent to one knee in front of the first door. She stuck her tools in to the lock and the door opened with in minutes. She pushed the door inward and touched the wall. The lights in the room came on. They looked around but there wasn't much to see it just looked like a normal office. There were certificates on the walls, there was and office desk and a computer, nothing out of the ordinary.

"Looks kind of like were my grandpa works." Max whispered under her breath. She walked over to the desk and sat in the chair behind it. Kya walked over to the bookshelf and started reading the titles, they're all on engineering, technology, biomechanics, dimensional travel, wait a minute dimensional travel?

"Hey Max get a load of this. Who ever was here was studying dimensional travel. How crazy is that?" Kya laughed. She looked at Max who was in deep thought about some thing and then she noticed that Max was looking at the wall. "Max what is it?" Kya asked, she left the bookcase and went to stand next to Max.

"Look at the name on that certification." She was pointing at the wall, Kya follow her point and looked at the certificate. She didn't see what the matter was it was just like any other certificates she had seen in her life, and then she noticed the name on it and couldn't believe what she was seeing. Mat Maldonado.

"But I thought your dad was a lawyer. What would he be doing in a place like this?" Kya was just as confused as Max, "Wait maybe this guy isn't your father; maybe he just has the same name. You know Mat is a very common name now a days." Kya said, trying to think of way to explain it.

"Kya that would be so unlikely that it not even funny. I mean the closes two guy's with the same first and last name would be country. Now it's just the fact that why he was working here." Max said.

"Would it be because of your mom?" Kya asked, Max turned around and Kya was point to another certificate but this time it had her mothers name on it. Max just stared at it, she couldn't believe what she was seeing, it couldn't be. Max got up and took both of the certificates down and placed them on the desk next to each other. The names on those certificates brought back so many fond memories and some sad ones as well. Kya put her hand on Max's shoulder and then went back to looking at the books back on the shelf leaving Max to think thing through. After a short while Max got up again and move toward the door of the office, Kya looked up from what she was doing.

"Come on, let's check the other rooms before it gets to late." Max said. She walked out of the room and Kya got up and follow. Before long they had gone through all the rooms, all that was left was the left turn in the hallway. Kya got behind Max as they looked around the corner, but all they saw was more darkness. It looked the same as when they had entered the hall at first. Max walked around the corner and into the darkness, Kya watch as she disappeared and then the darkness turned into light. Max was standing on a metal plate form in a giant room but there was nothing else Kya could see, no floor, no shelve. She walked over next to Max and looked down below there was and large room filled with all kinds of computers, machines, and near the back wall was a half covered ring. She and Max just stared for the longest time just in awe; they had never seen anything like this place.

Max and Kya both ran down the stairs as fast as they could. It's like a dream for computer geeks. And we're just the computer geeks it needed, Kya thought.

"This place is amazing, I wonder what they were doing down here?" Kya said as she looked around again, there was nothing that wasn't fascinating. Throughout the hole compound there was nothing but computers, specialized systems, mluti layer micro systems, system checks. There had to be at least thirty miles of cores and wiring and just to think it had all been left down here to wither away into history or until some snoopy kids found it.

"I don't know but I defiantly intend to find out, you in?" Max asks her. At the back of the room there was a large structure it had been partly covered by a tarp and now it was barely hanging on. Max walk the length of the room to the ominous structure and pulled the tarp all the way off. Kya turned and saw the trap fall away and underneath was a giant ring.

"Whoa." Max looked up to the top of the old dusted ring, "This thing must be ancient or something." Kya had walked over and they stood there staring at the ring together. The ring was mad out of some kind of metal but they couldn't tell what kind, around it's front surface there was writing of some sort it was like something from a dream. Max walked over to what looked like the main power switch and flipped it on but nothing happened. She looked around for some kind of instruction and found them hanging near the fuse box. She quickly skimmed through them and then went back to the power switch, she push it up three times the turned it and quarter turn left and pushed in. All of a sudden the dull lighting grow brighter and all the computers flash on. Kya ran over to the nearest one and started trying to open files but there was nothing, it was like all the hard drives had been whipped clean of anything.

"Well I guess that leaves us at a dead end. Got any other ideas?" She turned toward Max who was back at the ring, she had placed her hand on the ring she hadn't even notice that Kya was talking to her. "Max, Max, are you okay? Hello?" Max pulled her hand away from the ring, she had a very disturbed looked a crossed her face as if she saw something that wasn't really there or what had been there but was long gone now. She felt something creep up on her shoulder, she turned and saw Kya she looked worried. Max put a smile on. "Max are you okay?" Kay asked again not really sure about what had just happened but thankful her friend seemed okay.

"Well we know you can't wipe a hard drive completely clean so well have to do some hot wiring and flipping of some systems to get what we want. And we'll have to do some digging but I'm betting this place is still loaded with plenty of info just waiting to be found. If we work hard every day I bet we can get this thing running again." Max said reassuringly.

"Max, do you really think we should be doing this? What if this place belongs to the government and we get caught?" Kya asked, as she walked over from the computer she was at. Max looked at the ground then smiled.

"Well if they want us to stay away from here they they're going to have one hell a fight on their hands because I don't take things lightly." Kya saw the determination in Max's eyes that had always captured her respect and she nodded her head.

"Okay I'm totally in." Kya said if she sounded half as determined as she felt she knew Max would be happy.

"Good because we're coming back tomorrow morning!" Max said, she turned from the ring back to the power switch and powered down the complex.

Kya and Max gave one last look at the ring at the back of the room. It was amazing in one night their lives will have changed forever, whether they knew it or not. Nothing escaped the hands of fate, not even the chosen one its self.

XxXxXxXxX

"But Max, don't we have school in the morning?" Kya said through a yawn on they're way out of the hall and up that stairs to the world outside. Max looked over her shoulder, and Kya saw a glint of humor in them.

"Oh but my dearest Kya why would you want to sit through another one of Mr. Timothy's long, boring, say nothing that really matters, lectures?" Max asked, Kya just shook her head and followed Max out of the cellar looking hole. They closed the doors and max put a pad lock on it that she had from her old locker. They covered the doors with moss and dirt, and a few dire leaves to make it looked like no one had been in or even noticed it was there.

"No it's not that I want to but don't you think it will be a little conspicuous since we haven't missed a day since kindergarten? And what about Alex, what if she tells" Kya said, as they walked back toward the old oak tree they had come from. Woods around them was light by the moon and every thing seemed so eerie quiet. Max turned and looked at Kya a look of promise showed in her eyes. As the moon light flash off her eyes Kya saw a flash of a different color.

"Hey don't worry no one will ever find out and if they do we know who to go to first." Max said, Kya looked back at her and the color was gone. What the heck was that, she thought and Max turned back around and led them out of the woods.

Over the next couple of days both Max and Kya keep going back to the old bunker. They tried to fix up the computer systems but it was no uses with out Alex they were at a loss. Kya was at one of the monitors trying to go through the files they had found, there were so many she didn't know where to start. Max was sitting on the floor rewiring a few CPU's; she looked up at Kya and knows some thing was wrong.

"Hey, why don't we take a brake this is getting really boring?" Max said. Kya turned around and stretched her arms up and over her head, she yawned and got up from the desk.

"Max, do you think this would go easier with say some one else helping us?" Kya asked she looked away really quickly and cringed as she waited for Max's answer. But she didn't get an answer, she looked back at Max but she was gone. She looked around really quickly but Max was nowhere to be found; now where'd she go.

"Yeah maybe your right but I'm not willing to let this argument burn out so quickly. Plus I want her to come back us not the other way around and it's her own fault for taking things so literally all the time." Max said as she climbed the last few stairs to the upper plate form. She looked down at Kya who was heading for the bottom of the stairs.

"But Max, you and Alex are the most stubbornness people I know this could take weeks maybe even years. Can't we just this one time?" Kya persisted to go on. She climbed up the stairs and stood next to Max, "Plus this is a lot of work for just two people, I bet the…people who worked here had more help," she carefully choose her words so not to mention Max's parents. Even though Max said she was over their deaths, you could tell that she might think she was but it wasn't true. There was always something about their death that bugged her and it was why the police had never caught the murder.

"No, she did this to her self and I don't care if we ever she her again!" Max exclaimed, she turned away and was heading for the door when she felt something grab her arm. She turned and it was Kya, but not a Kya she had ever seen before, there was a stern look a crossed her face and her body was trembling in anger. Max just stared at her in disbelief she had never seen Kya get this anger, Kya was always gitty and happy all the time.

"Max Maldonado, I cannot believe what I am hearing. You and Alex have been friends forever. Stop your stubbornness because we are going to get Alex!" Kya said and brushed past Max, she was not happy at all. Max paused for a moment still in disbelief but turned and followed her. They went into the office where the old books were and grabbed their stuff then climbed up the stairs and out the double doors. They raced down to the school where they had left their bikes, when they reached their bikes they paused for a moment to catch their breath. Max was still staring at Kya.

"What?" Kay said and she undid her bike lock. She didn't looked up at Max at all probably still mad at the way Max had acted. But now Max couldn't tell anything about Kya and she even found a new respect for her friend who had always held Max and Alex together.

"It must be really hard on you to see us fight. But it's not easy on away of us and I guess my stubbornness comes from my dad's side of the family. My grandma always did have a hard time getting him to sit still long enough to do anything." Max told her, Kya finally looked up at her friend, it wasn't normal for Max to talk about her mother or father, but there was always some that Kya could say or do to get her to speak of them and it looked like now was one of those times. She got up and nodded, they both pulled their bike out form the rack and started toward Alex's neighbor hood.

When they got to Alex's house; they dropped their bikes and ran to the back of the house. Then climbed the valence up to Alex's window. Max knocked on the window, and then peered in. And as she did her eyes widened, Kya peered in too and a look of worry came a cross her face, _this is not going to end well_, she thought as Alex got up and came to the window. She opened it and to her surprise she found Max and Kya.

"What are you guys doing here?!" She asked in surprise. She waited for a moment, _is she going to answer me or not?_

Max didn't know what to say. So she did the only thing she could think of at times like this, she jumped down from the window and went around to the front of the house, not even caring to look back. Kya raised her eyebrow to Alex and followed after Max. Kya reached the front of the house just as Alex came out the front door.

"Okay what was that all about?" Alex yelled. Max looked at her and then dropped her bike back to the ground, Kya looked at her and saw the anger and discussed that flared in Max's eyes. She know something bad was going to happen and that was why Max had gone away. Kya wished Alex had just stay inside but know something was going to happen.

"I can't believe you. Can't believe we ever called you a friend." Max turned form Alex and grabbed her bike again. Kya was relieved to see that Max was still willing to just drop it and walk away but Alex didn't and she edge Max on.

"What are you saying? What did I do to piss you off?" Alex yelled. Max dropped every thing and walked over to Alex. _Oh Alex, why couldn't you just let it be_, Kya thought she watched helplessly and Alex backed down a little, but then knew that it was going to take a lot more for Alex to back down all the way.

"You lied to us. Went behind our backs for popularity. I hope they eat you alive." Max said to her. Both of them had anger and rage flaring in their eyes know their was nothing anyone could do to get them to stop.

"So what if I choose to go with a new group to hang with, not like you ever paid any attention to me anyway. It's like they said you're only mad at the world because of what it took away from you, a family." Alex said. By that time a few of the girls Alex had been hanging with came out to back her up, Kya stood there in utter shock at the words that had come from Alex, and the girls that stood behind her just snickered. They all thought it was pretty funny that Alex had the balls to stand up to Max, because no one had ever done it before. Kya watched as Max lost all since of reality, her hand clench into fist and she was about ready to hit Alex when…

"Max! Please Max don't hurt Alex. She doesn't know what she's saying." Kya cried out, she had grabbed Max's hand that had risen into the air. Max came back and looked at Kya, tears were streaming down her redden check, and her grip on Max's arm we faltering. Max looked around and saw that all the girls that had been be hide Alex were back up on the porch and Alex's mom had come out and was staring at her, she dropped her fist and Alex put her arms down. Alex too saw the way Kya looked. Max let go of Alex, turned and walked away in silence. Alex dropped to her knees and watch as Max picked up her bike and started walking away. Kya looked at Alex one last time and then followed after Max. Alex stood there for a moment longer then turned toward the house, she looked at her mom standing in the doorway, her mom just shook her head and Alex understood that she knew what had gone on and that she was siding with Max on this. Alex slowly walked up on to the porch and the girls crowded around her, they were saying something to her but she didn't hear it. She brushed past them into the house they followed after her.

When Max reached her house she dropped her bike and went strait up to her room. Kya follow her into the house but then was stopped by her grandmother.

"Kya dear, you don't mind getting Max and telling her to come down here do you?" Max's grandma appeared from the kitchen, the look on her face gave it away, Max and Kya were in trouble, "and then I think you should go home your father will be expecting you." Kya looked at her and nodded then decided to ask what was going on.

"What's up Mrs. Maldonado?" She asked even though she know what was coming.

"The school call today and for some reason you guys haven't been in school for the past few week. Now I hope you don't get into too much trouble with your dad because I'm sure this is all Max's doings." She told Kya and went back into the kitchen. Kya went up the stairs and to Max's room. Max was lying face down on her bed.

"Um Max we have sort of a problem. The school kind of called our houses and well told our families that we haven't been in school lately." Kya told Max, she lifted her head and then dropped it back down again then pushed herself out of bed.

"Okay," she grunted and walked over to the door, "By the way thanks for stopping me earlier, I could have really hurt her." Kya turned toward the stairs and was about to walk down them when Max called to her again, "Hey good luck."

"Thank, nut I think you'll need it more, Cathie looked pretty upset. See ya later if we're not both grounded." Kya said good-bye and went down the stairs; she waved to Max's grandma, Cathie, and went out the door.

Max pause and leaned against her doorway then got up and went down the stairs and into the kitchen, where her grandma was waiting for her. They looked at each other for and moment and her grandma continued talking on the phone. She pointed for Max to go into the living room and she did. By what she had heard it sounded like her grandma was on the phone with Kya's dad, probably telling him to go easy on her and that it wasn't her fault. She sat down on the couch and stared out the window. It had started to rain she wondered if Kya was getting wet, it was a distinct possibility. She heard her grandma walk in and she turned to look at her.

"What were you thinking? Do you know how much your grade is going to slip because of this? I can't believe you would do something like this." She started to say she sat down on one of the chairs and put her hand to her head. Max looked over at her she didn't look so well, but it was probably just a cold or the flue.

"What am I going do with you Max? You're worse than you father at this age. Well what do you have to say for your self, and where have you been during school all this time?" He grandmother looked up at her and Max quickly looked back out the window.

"It's not like it matters my grades are still the same as always A's." Max muttered she didn't look away from the window. Her grandmother shook her head got up to her feet and walked back into the kitchen. They didn't talk the rest of the night, and the next morning she was driven to school along with Kya they were both walked to they're classes by one of the school guards and then afterward they were picked up at the end of the day, this was done until the end of the school year.

A few months went by, Kya and Max made their way through the woods and back to the old bunker, as they did every day now during the summer. They chatted about how much they had learned form the bunker and what they were going to do next if they couldn't get the computers running right. As they reached the clearing they noticed that the doors leading down to the bunker were wide open.

"Kya, we didn't leave the door open last night?" Max asked she ran up to the door she knelt down and picked up the combo lock they had put on the doors had been cut off. Kya was standing over Max and her eyes widened as she looked at the lock.

"No, I closed it and locked it, then put all the leaves back over it." Kya whispered. Max dropped the lock and they ran down in to the hall and around the corner. The lab on the lower floors power had been turned on and all the computers were up and running. They slowly crept down the stairs and looked around but there was no one they could see. Max cautionly crept down the center ilea and still the was no one, just then Max felt her foot hit something. She looked down and there was a whole leg lying on the ground, Kya looked over her shoulder and screamed when she saw it. The leg moved and another one popped out from under the table to their surprise Alex popped out from under the desk, she was rubbing her head where she had hit the table.

"Don't scare me like that!" She said, Alex crawled out from under the table and whipped her hands off on a grease rag. Max and Kya just stood there staring at her they didn't know what to say at first but then Alex finally spoke up after standing there for five minutes.

"Listen before you say anything, I just want to say I'm sorry!" Alex said. But before she could say anything else Max interrupted her, she was not at all happy by what Alex could tell and she had the right not to be. By the way she had acted a few months ago Alex would be surprised if Max would ever be friends with her again, but she had to at least try.

"What are you doing here?" Max muttered. "Your not wanted here." She turned and looked away giving Alex the cold shoulder. Kya watched knew she had to do something to get them back together but the question is what.

"Fine I'll just get my stuff and go. I understand perfectly." Alex said she looked down at the floor and walked to the stairs. She picked up her bag and started up the stairs when Kya raised her voice.

"Wait, this has gone on long enough. Why can't you two ever get along, you've been friends forever. Get over your petty differences and just get along or both of you are going to be very lonely people in the future." They just stood there and stared at her, Kya had never yelled before and never at her friends it was hard to believe. But Max still wasn't giving in, Alex had no right to say what she had and it wasn't right. She was still turned away when Alex started to talk again.

"You were right, they used me, they ate me a live like you said. I never meant for it to go that far that day. But I had no choice you pushed me to far, you were never around anymore and when you were, all you talked about was that bunker. It was driving me crazy so I turned to Ashley and her friends. I knew all they wanted out of it was there homework done; but anything was better than listening to you yap on about that bunker. Then when you guys saw me with them… well I never meant for that to happen; you weren't supposed to find out. And then when I finally realized you were only trying to protect me from being hurt, I had hurt you even more then anyone could hurt me. I'm sorry for what I said. I never meant it, it just came out and there was no way I could take it back. I really am sorry about all that I have done." Alex told them. Kya smiled and looked at Max to see what she would say but Max said nothing and shook her head. Kya eye filled with doubt but her heart was still filled with hope. She walked over to Max and grabbed her by the arm pulled her up the stairs and around the corner of the hallway.

"Max listen, if you make up with Al we can get the computers up and running and maybe even the portal so just…" Kya started to say when Max put her hand over her mouth.

"Kya will you not worry I'll deal with this okay." Max said then walked back down the stairs, Kya followed, she watched Max walk over to Alex and hug her. Kya was happy that they were friends again now she could hang with the both of them again rather then going back and forth, that just got annoying and really tiring after away.

"Alex I'm sorry to." Max said to Alex, she let go of Alex and backed away. _But that doesn't mean I'm going to trust you ever again,_ Max thought to her self, she walked over to the computer that she had been working on the day before and started running through system checks to make sure that every thing was running right. Max and Alex seem to be friends again, Kya thought, but then there was something hidden there like a void that was still between them and some how it didn't feel right.

By the ended of the day the girls were all tired of lifting heavy computer monitors and boxes, there eyes were all blurred form staring at the screens for an extensive amount of time it was just horrible, they all felt like dog shit. They headed to the old oak tree and from there it was all down hill to the school then about another half a mile to Alex and Kya's house and only a forth of one to Max's house. Back at the bunk she had invited them both over to her house. Lucky they almost practically lived there already so they wouldn't have to run to their houses and get clothes.

XxXxXxXxX

That night they all had dinner with Max's grandparents. "Thank you." They all said to Max's grandparents. After they had cleared the table and done the dishes they head up stairs. They all flopped down on separate beds in the guessed bedroom, Max sat up and so did Kya.

"Okay this is crazy. It's just hard to believe what we've found. A dimensional portal, are you kidding me? Sounds like something off of star track or something to that sort." Kya exclaimed.

"My question is why was it so easy to put things back together for a bunch of teenagers. Aren't things like this supposed to be like super mathematical and scientific? Oh and I want to know where it goes?" Alex said she wasn't really thinking about why it had all happened all she was interested in was where it went, she looked over at Max to get her opinion but she was staring out the window at the dark.

Max looked from the window at Alex then said, "That's all good and stuff but we can't tell anyone what we've found. What if it's the government's property and we could get into some very big trouble. We might even want to put a list of alibis together just incase. We don't need anyone finding out or we'll never get to see what's really out there. You guys got that?"

"Yeah sure." Alex muttered. She rolled her eyes and looked at the ceiling, here.

"Okay." Kya exclaimed, "Whatever, can we just get some sleep now. Before I die to lack of water to my eye balls" Kya lied down after changing her clothes and fell asleep fast. Alex also changed her clothes and went to bed. She lied there awake and her thoughts ran around in circles about the man she had meet only days before talking about Max being some kind of evil power and about the first time she had ever meet Max and what they did for each other. It was all so confusing, Alex loved Max to death as a friend but ever since that fight nothing had been the same and she was starting to loss some of that faith in her best friend. Were things really going to happen like that man had said, "dark times were sure to come and your friend will no longer be the same person but will be the source of the darkness." It kept running through she mind in till finally she fell a sleep.

Max was still staring out the window. _I don't know if I can trust her any more. But why can't I, she's my friend and it's been that way almost since the day we met. But some things telling me that, things are going to go very wrong with in the next couple of days. _Max thought to her self. She then got up and went to one of the beds. She paused and looked over at her friends, but nothing felt right, she shook her head and crawled into bed and fell a sleep.

XxXxXxXxX

In the middle of the night Max woke up in a clod sweat. _What the hell? _ Max thought as she sat up and rubbed her eyes, in her dream she had seen so much devastation and destruction. It was almost if it was some how all her fault and that it had something to do with her and a few other but she had woken up before she could see their faces. She let her thoughts wonder for a few until they land on her friends. She looked over at them and remembered the first time they meet. _It was back in kindergarten, she had gotten into trouble for pouring paint all over some boy. "Max, why in the world did you do that?" the teacher had said. "Because he said my picture was stupid." I said. But the teacher didn't care, she sent me to the corner. When my time out was up, the teacher told me I had to go outside and play. That's where I met Kya; she was hanging from the very highest part of the jungle gym. I had gone under it because I wanted to be alone, that's when I heard a scream from the teacher. I heard that Kya was going to fall. The teacher couldn't go and get her because she was scared of heights. I heard a few more screams from the other kids; that's when I got up and started to climb the jungle gym myself. Every one froze when they saw me. " Max get down from there, you're going to get hurt!" I heard the teacher cry out; but I just kept on going. Lucky I didn't hesitant or else she would have fallen by the time I got there. I grabbed her arm and told her to hold on. I pulled her up and we climbed down together. She ran over to the teacher when we reached the ground. All the other kids crowded around me. The teacher thanked me. At the end of the day Kya and me were as tight as glue. _

_Now when I met Alex it was the other way around, well kind of. It was an average day in Jr. high Kya and I were in the classroom with some other students, when the bell rang. The teacher came in and behind him came in Alex she was a new student in the school. The teacher told her to introduce her self, so she did. "Hi, I'm Alex and I moved here from Alaska. My mom and dad are criminologists and they were reassigned." Alex said. The teacher told her to sit down, she started to walk to one of the empty desk when one of the jocks stuck out his foot and tripped her. Every one in the class started laughing at her. That's when I got up and walk over to her to help her up. I put down my hand to her, she reached up but I pulled my hand away and said. "Sorry to slow!" and every one laughed again. Then the teacher had to ruin our fun, "Alright Max sit down and the rest of you be quiet." I went and sat back down next to Kya. Alex got up off the floor and went to the desk in the back of the room. Kya and I looked back at her and then turned the other way. Later that day while in the lunchroom some one decided to pissed me off and they got me all up in their face. By the time the teachers pulled me off the kid, he had a broken nose and a black eye. Me, I had a few scratches and bruises. The principal had pulled me in to her office and was about to suspended me, when Alex came and told the principal that the kid started it, by punching at me, she told her it was just self-defense. So the principal let me off with a warning. When we got out of the principal's office, Alex disappeared. During sixth period that day Kya and I saw her walk in; a group of boys then walked over to her and started pushing her around. That's when I got up. "Either you back off or you'll get what the kid in the lunch room got. Got it?" I told the boys. They backed off and I went to my seat and Alex went to hers. "What was that all about?" Kya asked me. "Nothing, just helping out a friend." I told Kya. At the end of the day when we were all walking home, Kya and I saw Alex walking by her self. We ran over to her and asked if we could walk with her. Form then on we were always together. It's hard to believe that we can't even trust her. _

Max looked over at the clock and it was only four_, well I'm defiantly not going to go back to sleep so might as well get up. _

She got out of bed and walked in to the hallway closing the door behind her. She went over to the linen closet and pulled out a towel then walked in to the bathroom. She turned on the water and pulled the nub for the shower to run. Max undressed and got in. _This is all to weird, first finding the portal, then that freaky voice when I touched it, and now these dreams. There's defiantly something going on here._ Max thought to her self as she washed her hair. She rinsed her hair and a quickly scrubbed her body before turning the water of. She took her towel off the rack and wrapped it round her self, then left the bathroom for her own room.

XxXxXxXxX

After getting dress, Max went over and sat down at her computer. She logged on and waited for the Internet to pop up. She started snooping around for any usual things in the tabloids or the newspapers but there was nothing a usual, it was all the same old shit as before. Nothing good ever happened in this god-forsaken town. She went on to the local crime records but nothing was there either it was if someone had stopped crime all together after her parents were killed. She diced it might be easier to get info if she did a little hacking in some privet files, she wasn't the best at hacking but she was good enough to get by local government locks. When she was clear she started going through different files one after another. Until she found what she wanted, _top secret ah, maybe you should put it on such a lousy system then_. She opened it up and started reading just as she came to the end of the file she noticed the date at the bottom, much of the info was just a bunch of gibberish but the date actually meant something, well to her at least. Because it was the date of her parents death, June 13th, 1993, _but how can that be the old bunker was stopped the same day my parents were killed, you'd think they would have keep it up and running even if the top two scientist turned up missing. But even then if my parents were in charge maybe they were the only one who really knew anything…so some killed them because they treated to pull it all out into the open. Which would explain their untimely death and why the bunker was closed, _she thought to her self. She went to the file that said pictures and started going through them one after another. Some were of the destruction of the bunker and other were of the bodies that were found. The pictures were too blurry to see who the people were but she had a good idea who they were. Max just stared at the pictures even made them magnified but it was all the same these two weren't just shoot or strangle, they were torn to pieces, like a rabid animal came in and attack unprovoked, but there was also burns over at least ninety percent of there bodies. _What the hell went on that night, _Max thought and touched the screen. Without warning she was tossed into what seemed like a flash back. _She was hidden behind some old crates, just then she heard her mothers voice and then her fathers, she couldn't quite hear what they were saying but it sounded regent. She peered a round the crate and all of a sudden a cold chill filled the room and the door at the other end of the hall exploded inwards. Max shifted back behind the crate but peered around them again. Her mother was shouting to her father as another man entered the room, she saw him raise his hand and in one fail swoop her mother and father were thrown a crossed the room and hit the back wall. Max moved to the other side of the of the crate and watched her mother slowly each back up and check on her father. He sat up and the fear in his eyes turned to dread when he looked past Kayan, max looked over at the other man, his hand was up again and pointing strait at her mother and time froze all around and Max watched the events unfold. There was a flash of light and she heard her mother scream and Max sat there and closed her eyes until it was over. When she opened them again she saw her fathers' lifeless body lying on the ground. And for the first time she hear the other mans voice "Where is she Kayan?" Max looked at him them back to her mother who now was cradling her fathers' body. Max's eyes filled with tears as she watched her mothers hope die. Her mother laid the body back down and turned to face the man and she spoke with no fear what so ever, "you can have her Bishop and you'll never find her." She told him and with in an instant he was on top of her. He grabbed her frail body and wouldn't let go, "even if I have to tare this whole world a part I will find her and then this universe you've been protecting will become hell." Max looked away she couldn't stand any more. _When Max looked back she was back in her room looking at the photo. She paused for a moment thinking about what she had seen. Was it real or was she just hallucinating due to lack of sleep, either way it felt realer than real, it kind of freaked her out. She remembered back to the night of her parents' death, which there wasn't that much to remember since she was only five at the time, all she did remember was her parents bodies being carried from their house. Which was only chard as she remembered seeing it. But which story was real the one that had just came to her or the one the cops where left to ponder about. Max closed the file whichever scenario was true she was going to hunt down the person that had done this and when she found that person they were going to regret what they had done. She turned from the computer and didn't want to think about any of it, it was all to confusing at the time and she'd need time to think it through. Out side she heard a door open and close silently. Her grandmother popped her head through the door.

"Max, what are you doing? And how long have you been up?" Her grandmother asked, she came in and started to pick up what dirty closes were on the floor. Max watched her still trying to think things through, "Max are you okay?" Her grandmother questioned again, she looked up at the young girl, she looked like she was deep in thought but then again there was a very disturbed look that had been on her face since she entered. "Max you shouldn't worry like you do, your face will get stuck like that." Was the last thing she said before living the room. Max looked at the clock it was eight she had already been up for four hours but that wasn't right she had only sat down… _What the hell's going on._

Just then her friends appeared in the door, they were rubbing their eyes and stretching.

"Hey find any thing?" the blond haired girl asked, Max looked at them and shook her head. She wasn't quite sure what she should tell them or even if she should tell them at all. It wasn't like Max to keep things from her friends but what other choice did she have. Alex wasn't so trustworthy right at the moment and Kya had problems keeping things a secret for long.

"No nothing out of the ordinary maybe we should try library records," Max answered, she didn't like lying to them but it had to be done. "Away how about breakfast?" She asked trying not to be too conspicuous. They nodded and went back to the other room leaving max alone again. She looked out the window and thought but to the scene at the lab, how the hell do I deal with all this? She questioned her self and then got up and followed Alex and Kya back into the guest room. They both had gotten dressed and looked up when she came in. max looked at them and the looks on their faces said they wanted to talk. Max closed the door after making sure no one was there to listen.

"Max, what are we going to do about the missing passwords and inscription codes? We've searched the bunker top to bottom and still haven't turned up with anything." Alex asked she grabbed the brush off the dresser and started running it through her hair pulling out and knots. Max looked at her and started to think, it was a problem but where else could they be if they weren't at the lab.

"Well I think we should just let things be. I mean we've done the best we could maybe know we can just stop, it's not like Max's parents are going to pop out of the grave and tell us what we need to know." Kya said when Alex passed her the brush she hadn't liked the thought of the bunker ever since Max had found it. It had almost broken up their friend ship for good. Max was still thinking when it came to her, the graveyard that was the only place they hadn't check for information. And the last place her parents would leave stuff to be hidden.

"Kya you're a genius." She blurted out and both her friends stopped and stared at her.

"What do you mean I'm a genius?" Kya asked, her eyes were big and she looked startled at the very thought. Alex on the other hand had only paused for a moment and then went back to what she had been doing. Max sat down on the bed and explained to them what she was thinking. As soon as she had finished both girls were in awe. Alex hadn't seen why she hadn't thought of that in thee first place and Kya was just in terror of the thought of even going to the cemetery, there were all kinds of dead people there and with all the movies she watched it wasn't the best place they could be going.

"Hey I've got an idea why don't we just forget all about the bunker and … get on with our normal lives, we can go to the mall and hang out or go see a movie, maybe even sneak into the boy's locker room and fill their underwear with itching powder like you always wanted Max." Kya said her voice was a little shaky. And both Max and Alex got real close to her and circled her, they guessed she was a fared and wanted to play it.

"Wow, you'd really do all that stuff if we just kick the bucket on the whole thing?" Max asked and stood in front of her. Kya's expression was the deer in the headlights it was one of her most common looks. Don't get her wrong though she was really tough when she had to or wanted to be. Kya stared at Max and Max stared right back so that Kya would get so lost in thought that she wouldn't even realize what was going on as Ales slowly snuck up behind her. Max watched as Alex got really close up into Kya's ear and she whispered something. All of a sudden there was and ear piercing scream that filled the air. And Kya jumped at least three feet in the air and fell back on her butt. Max pulled her hands from her ears and looked at Alex who was on the floor rolling around from laughter, at least that was one thing she could always count on Alex for a good scaring of Kya. Max joined in with Alex's laughing; Kya got up off the floor and brushed her self off. She glared at them and shook her head, which just made them laugh even harder. But soon they came to a stop as Max's grandfather came into the doorway, his worried expression crossed over all the features in his old worn face. They all stared at him and Alex and Max burst out laughing again and with in a few moments Kya was joining in their laughter. Max's grandfather just shook his head and walked back down the stairs. Just then they heard Max's grandma called from at the base of the stairs.

"Hey girls why don't you come down and eat." She called up; Kya jumped up and ran over to the door. Max turned to the door and walked out it and Alex followed after the both of them. They went down stairs and in to the kitchen. The smell of waffles filled the air around them as they filed into the kitchen. They all went over to the bar and sat on the stools and watched as a plate of waffles was set on the counter by Max's grandmother. They each grab a plate for them selves, and eat their fair share of the waffles.

"Hey grandma did the police ever find the person who started the fire that killed mom and dad?" Max all of a sudden

asked. Max's grandmother gave her a stern stare then looked away and Max knew what was coming. It had never been the favorite subject around the house but Max needed some answers before she could any closer over the topic.

"Max you haven't talked about your parents in years, so why do you ask now." Her grandmother asked, and as she looked back at Max she could tell that there was more to what Max had asked then what had been said. It was if she knew what had been hidden for so many years and wanted to test her to get the right information, but she wasn't to sure of what to say and just hopped the topic would just go away.

"Oh no reason, I just wanted to know if they ever caught the man who killed mom and dad that's all." Was all Max said and then dropped the subject completely there was nothing more she could say or do to get her grandparents' to tell her what had really happened that night and they probably had good reason for not telling Max anything. Nothing really felt right as if she was missing something bigger then they could give her.

"Well no!" Her grandmother replied. Max turned from the counter and walked back up the stairs. Alex and Kya gave each other questioning looks then got up and followed after Max. As soon as the girls were out of sight Max's grandpa entered the kitchen and sat down. Max's grandma joined him at the table and they sat there for a few moments in silence, then Max's grandmother found her voice.

"I really think we can't keep hiding this from her forever. She's starting to realize that some things not right, and I've over heard them on a few occasions talking about that lab. It's only a matter of time before she finds the truth." She calmly laid out, her voice shacking at the thought of what was about to unfold. She looked at her husband, his hand was put up to his chin and he was deep in thought.

"Don't worry yourself, it will probably be better if she finds out what happened for her self." He told her, but she could see that even through his strong stair that he didn't want to lose Max either. Thing were going to change for better or worse and nothing could stop it no matter how bad they want to protect their granddaughter. It had never been their choice, since the day that Max was born she had been destine for great things.

"I just worry that she'll take it the wrong way and we'll lose her forever. She was only three when this all happened. John…" She paused and tears started down her wrinkled old face as she remembered back to the night they had found their son and daughter in-law in the lab. She had held her sons cold body for at least an hour before coming too. Kayan had been taken to the hospital in critical condition, and when she and John had arrived they got the news that there was nothing that could help Kayan recover. First they had lost their son now they were going to lose their daughter in-law too it had been heart breaking. When they had gone to see her Kayan had told them everything about what had gone on before the night she had mysteriously shown up, and with her last breath she had asked them to protect Max from all of it. It had been the hardest night of their lives, not only emotionally but physically as well and nothing had been worse then watching Max go hysterical when they berried her parents, it was all to much. "I just don't know if my old heart can take loosing another part of this family to… to that monster." She yelled tears streaming down her face. John got up and went over to his wife and comforted her.

"Listen Linda, Max is a very strong girl and I have never seen anything drag her down that she can't climb her way back out of. She'll be okay I promise," his words came out with a lot of meaning, but there was no helping the pain they both felt. "Tomorrow's the anniversary of Kayan's appearance, seventeen years ago. She showed up at Mat's door and they had instantly fell for each other. She brought happiness to him even when he could find none." John told Linda, and they remembered back to that day. Mat their son had called them in such happiness, the same happiness he had had as a child. Which in turn made them happy, he had told them all about the girl that showed up on his doorstep and that he wanted to be with her forever. At first they didn't quite know what was going on or anything that was going on and were worried that their son had finally flipped his lid. But the next day he had brought her by and it was like they had always know her, like she had grown up next door, there were still a few things missing but it didn't matter to Mat, they were happy together. With in a week there was a wedding planned and in two they were on their honeymoon. Things had gone by so fast, it was like Kayan had dropped from heaven and answered their prayers. The very next week they found out Kayan was pregnant, and Max had soon come there after, it was the best thing that could have ever have happened to Mat. Things started to slow down after that as they all watched and Max grow. Then that day came, Kayan had told Mat what was going to happen and what had happened before almost breaking his heart, but he stayed by her anyway nothing was going to break those two apart. Something had happened at the lab and they were found, everything was gone just like that. Max was left with her grandparents. Linda looked at her husband and then got up form the table and went to cleaning up breakfast.

XxXxXxXxX

"What was that all about?" Kya asked as soon as they were all in the guest bedroom. She went over and sat down by Max and crossed her legs. Something wasn't right here and it was going to be hard to get it out of Max she was worse then any man about showing how she felt.

"I'm willing to bet that they're hiding some thing from me." Max finally said, Kya looked at Max and then to Alex who was just as confused as she was. Max's grandparents had always been open to anything they wanted to talk about, why would they keep secrets about her parents' death. "I did find something this morning, pictures from the report on the old lab. Before the bodies were taken out, before every thing was put back together, before they fed me that lie. My parent's were murdered but not by anyone form here." Max said, Alex and Kya were even more confused then before, what did Max mean by not form anyone around here. Alex meet Max's gaze and saw the deep blue green color of them waver; it had never been like Max to cry. She didn't even cry when she got hurt or they got into fights, the last time she had cried was at her parents' funeral, form that day on it was like she didn't even know how to cry. But she didn't want to say anything about it she wasn't even sure if it was a tear or if it was just the light.

"What do you mean, Max is there some…" Alex started to ask, but her judgment was clouded by the words of the man she had meet only a few days before. Your friend will no longer be the same but will be the source of the darkness.

"Yeah Max are you okay?" Kay asked, she gave Alex a stern glare then turned back to Max. She was smiling and back to her old self as if nothing had just happen

"Come on lets make that cemetery run before it gets to late." Max said she got up from her place on the bed and went to the closet and pulled out a pair of old sneakers. She slipped them on and got up staring at the other two. Kya didn't look to sure of her self and well Alex was kind of off in la-la land. "Well…" Max said louder so that they could hear. They looked at her, and she just shook her head and walked away. "If you guys are coming I suggest you hurry because whether or not I'm leaving now." Max told them and walked out the bedroom door. Kya looked at Alex who was getting her shoes on and she got up and did the same. Why the cemetery, why not the mall, or the movies, why can't we just quite all of this? Kya thought as she followed Alex out the door.

Out front they grabbed their bikes and started toward the cemetery. Just as they were riding past the park Alex looked up at the sky. Dark rain clouds were starting to cover the blue. She looked back down at Max and Kya in front of her and raced to Max's side. "Hey Max we better hurry there's a storm moving in." she yelled over a clap of thunder, Max slowed a little and stared back into Alex's gaze, she nodded and sped back up.

"What are you afraid of getting wet." Max yelled back to her, and smiled at the thought. Alex shook her head and sped after her leaving Kya behind. Kya watched as her two best friends left her behind, it was no big deal really she was quite used to it. Alex and Max were always competitive toward one another, which was what made their friendship all the stronger, what she thought. She picked up the pace so that not to fall behind to much.

Max jumped off her bike and ran into the front gate of the cemetery arms stretched out. She stopped and looked back as Alex jumped off her bike into a mud poodle, she slipped and fell. But just as she was about to hit the ground she felt someone catch her arm and pulled her up right again. She looked up and saw Max smiling at her, it was the same smile she had seen so many times before, but some how it was different and the words came to her again. Source of the darkness, Alex smiled slightly and looked away quickly. She didn't understand how Max, who was one of the honest people she know nonetheless liveliest, energetic, and kind be the source of darkness, it just didn't seem right. The noise of the closing gate broke into her thoughts for now and she put the thought at the back of her mind; she looked and saw that Kya had finally caught up. She and Max were all ready walking toward the chapel at the center of the expansive yard, Alex walked after them.

"Hey Kya, I heard form one of the kids in our class about a girl who had been dared to stay the whole night in this graved yard to see if it was really haunted by the ghost of the ex-convict Jincken Mc Lane. He said that she took the dare and was supposed to stay at his grave the whole night and if she made it she would have to jab the knife she was carrying into the ground next to the gravestone. Turns out they found her body the next day, she died that night. They say she scared her self to death but some think else wise." Max said, she looked back at Kya and got what she was looking for. There was a look of pure terror across her face. Alex shook her head at Max and Max smiled back at her.

"Don't worry about it Kya. There's nothing to be scared of. It's just a bunch of dead people." Alex tried to comfort her friend but it didn't seem to work and she glared at Max. Max shrugged it away and went on.

"That's what I was afraid of." Kya whispered, she cautiously looked around before walking next to Alex. They followed after Max who was already at the front doors of the chapel.

"Kya I promise there's nothing to be scared of and Max stop trying to scare us it's not funny." Alex still tried to comfort her and Kya nodded her thanks as they caught up to Max. They all stood outside the huge chapel, it was weird to all of them because none of them had ever been there before. Max tried to lighten the mood a little with a cocky come back.

"Oh come on have a little fun!" Max said as she walked into the chapel, Alex followed close behind, and Kya paused looking around one last time before opening the door and going in. When in side she looked at the expansive room that lie before her, it was the biggest room in the building, it was decorated with all kinds of religious symbols and some other fancy stuff. She looked over at Max how was pointing at the last bench on the right hand side. They walked over and sat down in a small circle so that no one would hear them.

"Okay, I remember my mom talking about and box or something that when I was old enough to come get, but since this possibly had something to do with the government they probably won't let anyone near it. So we need to come up with a plan to get to the back rooms, then get past whatever security that they have running." Max whispered, she looked and the women standing behind the desk then to the front of the chapel. Alex followed her eyes then it came to her.

"I've got it! Here Max you take my camera. There are probably only video cameras since this is only a public place. Now Kya and I will create a distraction so you can get the keys from the desk. When you get to the room take a picture and put it in front of the liens of the video camera. Then get what we need as fast as you can, okay. Don't forget to turn the flash off and don't turn on the light that will give things away." Alex .explained to them Max nodded. "Okay Kya we need to think of away to distract the people in the room, got any ideas?" Alex asked Kya and looked up at her. Kya had a setline a crossed her face then she snickered a bit.

"Well one of us could play like we just lost some one and act hysterical. That's bound to get someone's attention." Alex shook her head like she was thinking it trough then a nodded of acknowledgment came form her. Alex looked at Max then to one of the big pillars near the door, Max followed her gaze and then got up from the bench and wondered over to the one they had looked at. She looked over at Alex and Kya. They were just about ready, they played one game of rock, paper, and succors, Max laughed when she saw that Alex had lost, she looked over at the desk where the lady was working. Just then she heard Alex start to wail, and that was the signal. Kya acted like she was tiring to clam her, but she wouldn't stop. The women at the desk looked up for a moment then went back to reading. Alex quickly started running around and knocking things over as she went by them. Finally the women got up from the desk to see what was going on.

Max smiled then ran from her post over to the desk. She quickly searched for the keys and grabbed them, then ran down the back hallway. She read the signs on the doors very carefully, then she came up on one that said personal keeps. She put the key in the door and turned it. The door flew open. Max looked at the room it was as big as the library at the school. Max quickly looked for any video cameras but there where none. She cautiously walked in and turned on the light. Still there were no video cameras or any thing else that would give her away. Max shrugged and started going down the names on the boxes. They were in alphabetical order and would take a while that she didn't have. She started going as quick as she could and with in a few minutes she had found the locker type shelf with the M last names. She ran her hand down each row until she found her last name. She quickly opened it and pulled out a tin lock box, she pushed it into her backpack and closed the door. She got up and headed for the door, as she left she turned out the lights and slipped out the door, it had been so simple.

"Miss, miss, I'm sorry but you're going to have to leave if you can't settle your self down." The women said to Alex, as she caught a cross that was about to hit the floor.

"Settle my self down. How can I when I have lost all I have lived for, the true love of my life. There is no reason to live on. Whoa as me… whoa as me." Alex cried. She flung her self to the ground and people started to form a circle around her. Kya watched from out side of the circle, for Max to return, so Alex didn't have to loss all scenes of dignity. Just then she saw Max place the keys back on the desk and run out the front doors. Kya then walked over to Alex who was lying on the floor in tears.

"What is so dreadful that you have lost, dear friend of mine?" Kya asked, secretly smiling to Alex. Alex gave a slight nod.

"I'll tell you what! My dignity that's what." Alex shouted. All the people around gave the girls dirty looks and went back to what they were doing before the commotion.

"Will you please leave. This a church not a counseling office. If you have problems with your dignity go see a professional. Now please leave." The women who was at the desk said as she pointed at the door. Kya pulled Alex up off the ground and they walked out the doors.


	2. Chapter 2 Finding the Truth

Eternity

Disclaimer: I do not own the Jak and Daxter series it is owned by Naughty Dog. the only characters I do own are Max, Kya, Alex, and Amber.

Max801: hey all so yeah this is my first time releasing this fanfic to anyone but my bff so please review and if anything seems a bit confusing let me know. Most of the time I'm very private with my work not even my rents are allowed near it so i finally worked up the courage to share. Any how just please review :) thanx.

Eternity

Renegade

Chapter two

In the cemetery

Out side they found Max standing on the side of the building. "Did you get it?" Kya ask, and looked at Max with unwilling eyes. It was as if Kya didn't want it but Max smiled and Kya dropped her head.

"Yeah but some of it is missing. I can't think of where it could be though." Max told them. "But I did go through this stuff and found this riddle. She pulled a small piece of paper out of her pocket and handed it over to Alex who read it aloud.

"It says, what you have found is only a small sum of what is missing to find the rest you must solve this puzzle. What lies in the ground but never sleep but serves as a marker to the eternal sleeper. Figure out this puzzle and it will lead you to what you seek." Alex read. They all looked at each other, Alex shook her head when she saw the confused looks that had fallen a crossed both Kya and Max's faces. "It simple!" Alex said, "Who are the eternal sleepers?" she asked and both of her friends looked even more dumbfounded then before. But when she saw Max's face light up she was relived that one of them had gotten it. Alex then looked at Kya. Kya looked at her and Max joined into the staring contest.

"What you lost me there, Alex. Who are the eternal sleepers and why the hell would you want to sleep all your life." Kya said, she still looked quite dumbfounded, but was angry at the same time because they always expected her to get things as easily as they did, but she wasn't that smart. Nonetheless that they each had brilliant parents, Alex's being forensic scientist, and well Max's working on that portal or whatever it is.

"Come on Kya this isn't a joke. The eternal sleepers are the dead, hints you sleep forever after you die. And the something that doesn't sleep but acts as a marker would bee the head stone. They're made out of stone so they never sleep." Alex explained to her and Kya finally got it.

"Okay but which one." Kya said as she looked out over the grave yard, "There are millions here it would take all night to look for the one we need if it's even in this Cemetery." Kya said to Alex.

Max looked around for some kind of clue, then it hit her like a rock hitting a window. All the graves were marked with number and the name of the deceased if their family wanted. So all they had to do was look through the ones that had names on them. But that still left an 8th of the graveyard to search. "We just have to look for my parents name, they wouldn't make it to hard for us to find if I was the one intend to find all this." Alex shook her head it was reasonable. Max head off in the direction of the gravestones. They looked at the ends until they reached the m's and started searching for Max's last name.

"Either of you find any thing?" Max called out as she finished the row she had been looking down. She looked at Alex and Kya but they both shook their heads. If there isn't a grave with their name on it then where could they be? Max thought for a moment nothing was making sense. Kya came but behind her and she lightly touched Max's shoulder, max turned to meet her friends gaze when she noticed Alex was stand with a man near the chapel. The man was dressed in dark clothes and was way older then they were. Max watched as Alex nodded to the man and ran over to them, she stopped in front of them and handed Max a piece of paper.

"What's this?" Max asked as she took it from Alex. She and Kya looked at it very carefully looked over the small map of the cemetery and looked back at Alex, they were confused but waited for her to explain.

"All he said was that this would aid us in finding what we're looking for." Alex told them and looked down at the map. "Look here these are all grave stones that have the names of there owners," she pointed to a small group on the map that was near the front of the cemetery, then moved her finger to the back and largest group, "And these are labeled with people's social security numbers normally there people that no body care about or have no family. Maybe since someone was trying to cove all that happen that night they hide the bodies within the rest of the graves so that nobody would figure it out if the case was reopened to investigation." Max looked at her and she had a point, what ever had happened that night some was trying to cover it up. "But we don't exactly have your parents' social security numbers, unless you some how memorized them when you were five." Alex said, Max shook her head and smiled. They all stood there for a moment to think then Kya pipes up.

"Um Alex who was that guy anyway? And don't you think it's weird that he'd know how to help us?" She looked up from the map at Alex. Max turned to Alex as well. She looked down at the ground and then found something to tell them, because she wasn't about to tell them that it was the man that had told her that Max was the source of all darkness. No that would just make them think she was crazy.

"Maybe he saw us looking through the headstones and thought it would be easier if we had a map, I don't know. For god sakes all we know is this map could be showing us the nearest stash of crack or smoothing. He didn't say anything when he handed it to me." She said, they stared for a moment and they all laughed at the thought. Max shoved the paper into her pocket and paused.

"Wait maybe their ids' are in the box I got out of the chapel." She dropped her backpack on the ground and pulled out the box. Alex and Kya came in closer so that nobody saw as Max started rummaging through it. She didn't find anything that resembled an id but she did find her fathers' picture and on the back there was a number scratched down. She handed the it to Kya and closed the box, shoving it back into her bag they all took a minute to memorize the number then headed for to the back of the cemetery.

XxXxXxXxX

"Hey look I found it." Kya said about twenty minutes after they had started looking. Alex looked up from the stone she had sat on and pushed her self up to join the others at the grave.

"Wow what a… well we'll just call it simple." Alex said as she approached the gravestone. Max looked at it and noticed the one next to it had no number, she remember back to they day they were buried. _I hadn't understood anything and I kept asking my grandparent why mommy and daddy wouldn't wake up and why they had been put in boxes. Nobody dare answer me, so I sat at their graves screaming for hour at anything that made a noise or moved. It wasn't fair, but none of that matters now I soon found out that I didn't need them for anything_, just then she heard Kya's voice and it called her back from the horrid memory.

"Max if you were there the day that your parent's were buried then why didn't you remember where they were?" Alex looked up from she study of the two cement blocks and looked at Max. Kya had asked a good question, and it looked like Max had an answer.

"I didn't want to remember anything from that day so I guess I just erased it all from my mind. It has been eleven years too, so I guess it worked." She said and looked to the two grave markers, and it looks like nothing changed from that damn day she thought and looked away. She let her mind trail off until she felt the light touch of one of her friends' hands on her shoulder.

"Hey we better finish up here and get home. It's getting late and going to start raining soon." Alex's gaze meet Max's and they smiled at each other. No matter what anyone said or did their friend ship still ran deep and was likely going to be proved sooner or later. They quickly looked all around the stones but there wasn't much to see. Max looked around the back of the one with nothing on it and noticed that the ground had been up, and recently.

"Guy's I think someone's been destroying cemetery property." Max smiled and knelt down to study it further. Alex and Kya came around to Max; she started brushing the dirt away from it. Behind the dirt was and inscription but it was in some kind of foreign language, More like alien but who was accounting for that.

"I can't read it. But there's something else here." Max told them. They crouched down next to her and started to dig away at the ground. Underneath there was a cement block, they pulled it away and behind it was a wooden box. Max pulled it out; all of a sudden a crack of thunder boomed through the sky above them, she put the box into her bag with the other one. They all looked up at the sky and now the dark clouds had covered it over. Kay felt a drop of rain hit her face; she rubbed it away and saw as the rain started to fall.

"Come on we better get home or we'll get soaked." Alex said, she pulled Max to her feet and they all ran to the entrance of the graveyard. They each grabbed their bikes, but it had all ready started to down pour. They raced home together laughing as mud spread all over their legs, when they reached the front porch they put down their bikes and climbed up the steps. As they reached the top Max's grandmother was waiting in the front door for them.

"Where have you girls been? We have been worried sick and now your soaked. Max you should know better then that." Max's grandmother said as they walked in the door. Max's grandfather John walked in from the den and looked at their soaked figures.

"So how was the down pour? Heard on the news that the drops were supposed to be as large a golf balls." He said and all the girls laughed, as did he. Then looking at his wife and getting one of the those you're not helping stares he went back into the den to watch TV. Linda Max's grandmother turned her stare back to the girls and waited for answer.

"Oh you know doing girl things." Max said as she squeezed the water from her hair into a towel. She flipped her head back up and her ragged hair fell along her back. The others did the same but rapped their hair into the towel.

"No I don't know, now please in lighten me." Her grandmother insisted, she was starting to get pissed and Max could tell because her hands were placed on her hips and she was tapping her foot on the floor. Max knew there was nothing worse then her grandma getting mad, since that morning didn't end well, but she didn't know what to say.

"Don't worry Mrs. Maldonado we were just at the mall, shopping. You know girl things," Alex said quickly. She winked at Linda and Max's grandma nodded. She nodded and was about to leave them alone when she turned to them with one last thing to say.

"Oh and girls before you run off like that again tell me where you're going so that I don't have to worry so much." she said and the girls quickly ran up stairs. Later that night after they were all dried off and had eaten. They went back up the stairs into the guest bedroom. Max pulled out the two boxes they had gotten at the graveyard. Alex and Kya sat on the floor next to her and watched as she opened the wooden box. In side they found the rest of the inscription codes, an envelope, and a little book with a lock.

XxXxXxXxX

Meanwhile back at the graveyard. The night shift man found that both of the Maldonado's private lock box's had gone missing. He ran to the in-keeper's house and burst through the door.

"We have a problem, get the mayor on the phone!" the man yelled, every one started to move. The old man who owned the place grabbed the phone and started dialing up numbers. Each of the younger men grabbed their coats and started a search of the graveyard and the most they turned up with was a hysterical girl that had been there this afternoon.

XxXxXxXxX

Back at Max's house, the girls were starting to go through the codes that would get the portal up and running. They hadn't even bothered to look a the other thing that had come out of the hidden box. Max had placed them aside on the floor and now that they had gotten every thing that they needed it was time to see what was to be from the other items. Max reached over to the envelope first and all of a sudden they heard shouting outside; they got up and went over to the window to see what was going on. They watch as men came running up to the door to get out of the rain.

"Aren't those the people form the graveyard?" Kya asked.

"Yeah and the mayor's office, but what do they want here?" Alex answered and asked at the same time, just then another car pulled into the driveway, it had the states symbol on the side. "And that one would be from," Alex paused then finished but very softly because they each know what was going on. Max looked back at the envelope, boxes, the folder, and everything else that was scattered all over her floor. It was like they knew where to look, Max thoughts started to whirl and whip around in her head. She thought about who unfair it was that everyone had hid things from her, how she what to just get away, about what would happen to her and her friends if the government found the stuff, and just as the door bell rang Max quickly dove for the files and everything else. Alex got what she was getting at and help, Kya moved over to the old Murphy bed and push it up so that they could slip the stuff into the hiding place they put everything else they wanted to hide. As they finish and placed the bed back on the floor they heard the doorbell ring for a second time and just as her Grandmother open the door they were down stairs investigating whom it was.

XxXxXxXxX

"Good evening, mama, we are from the government office. And we're searching all the homes in town, something has been taken from the local cemetery and it belongs to the government. This is just a routine check, we're not exactly sure what has happened or if it was just missed place. So if you and your family could just more into the kitchen well be done soon." the man at the door said. He looked at Max, Alex, and Kya then smiled. The girls forced smiles back and turned to the kitchen.

"Oh of course we have nothing to hide. We haven't been to that old place in years." Max's grandmother said. She moved off into the kitchen, each of the girls had already grabbed a bar stool and started talking about the mall and show they had watched. The men came in and started looking around; one of them followed them in to the kitchen. He watched her grandma start to bake a cake; he then turned his attention to the girls. Hey that's Kayan's daughter, no wonder the mayor and governor had us check here first. I doubt we'll find anything here; she was only five years old when they died and I really doubt she remembers any of it anyway. Huh the man thought to him self. He looked around the kitchen, the girls watch the man sit at the table and listen while he and Max's grandmother talk about what ever. She offered him a cup of coffee but he didn't take her up on it. They turned and looked at each other all thinking the same thing, that if this was just a routine check they wouldn't be searching in the right places to find what they were looking for, they giggled so that not to be to suspicious. Max's grandfather walked in the front door and was motioned into the kitchen by one of the men that had stayed near the front door. He looked at his wife then sat down with the man at the table and they started talking about the game that had been on the night before. Just as Her grandfather finish his coffee the other men came to the kitchen doorway, nothing had been found and all three girls relaxed unnoticed.

"Well thank you for your hospitality!" the Man said as he rose to his feet and nodded his head. There was a shuffling of feet and all the men were out the front door. The last thing the girls heard was one of the men grumbling about being out all night doing this, they smiled at each other and snuck back up the stairs. When they were all back in the room they collapsed to the floor in a bit of laughter, they weren't just laughing at the fact that nothing was found but also at the fact the men had to stay out all night because of them. And everything had been right under their noses, Kya got up from the floor and watched out the window as the cars pulled out of the driveway. Just then she thought back to the man that had smiled at them in the kitchen and looked at the others who were still cracking up even though it wasn't that funning. She waited for them to stop their fit and then asked them what was on her mind.

"Are you quite done, for god sakes it wasn't really that funny. And anyway there's a more important topic we should be addressing." Alex craned her head to the side and listened what Kya had to say, Max lied on the floor somewhat paying attention but not really, Kya continued when she had both of their attention, "Why do you think that guy smiled at us down there. Don't you think it's kind of weird or what if they already know we have the stuff and they're just toying with us?" Kya asked franticly looking at them her eyes filled with worry and doubt. But it was like always and Alex and Max both were laughing again. They had never taken anything she had to say seriously because most of the time it was just suppression or paranoia.

"I don't know maybe he was just trying to be friendly or something. And don't go paranoia on us okay; we have enough to worry about as it is." Max said, looking back down the stairs, still giggling at the thought. Alex pushed the old bed up again and Max pulled out the files and other things they had shove into the under side of the bed. It had been the perfect hiding place for everything ever since they had been kids. They had ripped through the white fabric material of the box spring and shoved an old board in on top of the wood plank so that what ever they placed up in it wouldn't make the fabric sag, it was so perfect. Alex put the file of inscription codes off to the side and there was nothing left but and old beat up black journal that was locked and the envelope to look at. They each waited and watched but no one moved; each just sitting there staring at the two items. Max finally got board and grabbed the old journal. She looked art the front and back no key, just then she remember the key she always wore a round her neck she quickly put the journal down and took the necklace form a round her neck. She held it out in front of her and at the end dangled and small silver key, just big enough to fit the lock. Alex watched in amusement; it was a one in a million chase that that key would fit the lock but it was probably the only thing they had as a lead. They watched intently as Max place the key into the lock and a small clicking noise came form it. Each of their eyes widened and they each stared at each other surprised that it had actually worked.

"Max how'd you?" Alex asked and leaned in for a closer look. It was like all this was set up by someone and then her thought went to the mysterious man that she had met. Her thoughts became frantic as she went through what he said, what had happened and what was happening. If he was right then should she stop her friend, but there was something there keeping her from doing just that. She was so intrigued by what was happening, that she had wiped every thing clean. She shook her head a little and was free of the thoughts she didn't want to think of it right now.

"I don't know." Max answered and she looked at Alex, and notice a strange look had fallen a crossed her face as if something was wrong. But then it changed back to normal and Max went back to the book. She started flipping through the pages, but couldn't read any of it. All the writing was in a different language an alien language like out of the movies or something. She passed it over to Alex and Kya so they could get a look at it. As her friends looked at the pages bewildered by the complication of the writing she grabbed the envelope, not wanting to wait any further. She flipped it over and pulled out a letter that was in her mothers' handwriting. Her eye grown bigger and she felt grief follow through out her body but she quickly pushed it away, she hadn't felt said about her parents since the day they were put in the ground and she wanted to keep it that why. It wasn't as if she didn't love them anymore it was just the fact that feeling horrible wouldn't bring them back and all it did was bring her down and she didn't need that. She glanced down at the letter and then started to read it aloud, Max, if you're reading this it means I left you alone but that really isn't the point now is it? I couldn't protect you forever which now means you have to protect your self. For the past number of years you have been living with your step grandparents. That's right the man you know as your father is not your real father but no matter I want you to remember that even though he wasn't he still loved you more then anything in the universe. This brings me to my point your real father… you can't let him find you before your powers have developed; you need to use the portal that I have left behind. Take to get away and you can't come back. This is serious, it may sound crazy now but there will be someone waiting for you on the other end to explain everything. I promise you will understand. Max, don't forget that I love you and nothing can take that away from you. I wish I could be there to watch you grow and become whom I couldn't. Love Mom, P.S. never forget that as long as you believe in yourself and the people around you that nothing can ever take your truth, She dropped the paper to the ground and shook her head. Nothing made sense anymore, the father she know wasn't even biological, her real father was out to kill her or something by the way her mom had put it, and for god sakes it sounded as if she was some super powered being, everything was spinning and then she remember what her grandmother had told her a long time ago, "things are going to be different from now on and we won't know what is happening but trust me just follow the path that lies in front of you and everything will become clear," she hadn't known what it meant at first but now it all made sense. She put her hand to her head and locked the tears, pain, confusion, and anger deep inside and when she looked at her friends her features showed nothing. Alex and Kya sat there in a confused state. They didn't know what to say, what to do, or even if this was all just some kind of charade. Alex thought back to the man, what the hell was going on, what Max had read and what the man had told her were different, What, maybe Max's whole family is crazy or something. She quietly thought to her self, but when she looked into Max eyes it made so sense to her, she could she the sorrow and pain that Max felt but never showed. _How can she be so strong, I don't know what that man was thinking when he said she'd be the source of all darkness, must have been crazy or drunk_, she smiled slightly, _even if I don't believe him this still stays hidden_. Just then she felt Kya nudge her and she looked at the letter that Max had read to them. The handwriting was all over the place.

"It was written in a hurry, I'm guessing something spooked her mom." Kya whispered, Alex nodded and they both looked at Max. This was their friend and had been forever and nothing this bad had ever happened to them, but when things did get bad Max was always there with a smile for them and to put things back the way they were. Whether it was taking the blame for something or standing up for them when they needed it, which had always ended up with her and the other kid beating the snot out of each other. But nothing like this had ever happened and it was just that everyone they knew had hidden it from her. Some things just couldn't be helped with a smile.

"Max, are you okay?" Kya and Alex both asked, but she didn't say anything for a long time. There was just silence and both Kya and Alex started to get nervous. Just then Max looked at them and nodded her head.

"I'm good! Its just, why didn't any one tell me? Why'd they have to hide it why? I don't get it and when I do who ever the hell started it is going to pay. If I have to fight my way through a million armies, have migraines trying to solve the un-solvable, die trying to find out what the hell went on before I was born so be it." Max mumbled. Kya watched as her best friends eye grow dark and clouded, she then knew that things might be different between them and it was either for better or for worse.

Alex had been quite for to long and now spoke up breaking the silence, "Hey, I'm with you all the way as long as there aren't any killer zombies." It was a feudal try at get Max to smile, but it seemed to help a little. Max nodded her head and her gaze fell on to Alex, and she thought about how things had gone up to this point. She and Alex hadn't always agreed on everything but they were always there for each other, then she moved her gaze to Kya and just the same, she was always there even when she was scared out of her mind she always found the courage to be back up.

"I'm with you too. There isn't anything in this world that could break up the three of us again. And I'm in with Al, no creepy zombies that are going to try and eat us. That's just a horrible way to die, seriously. And I don't like werewolf's or vampires or anything else with that kind of nature." Kya said and she smiled which turned things around. They all started to laugh at the thought of zombies and the rest of the things Kya had mentioned she didn't have a thing going for, as if there were ever such things as any of that except for in resident evil the best game series on the planet.

"Well are you going to sit there dwelling on the past or can we see what else in the envelop and then try and figure out what to do next. Because I really don't wish to sit here all night?" Alex asked unexpectedly. And it reminded Max that there was still more to come. She swallowed everything and picked up the envelope again. This time she flipped it over and the remaining items fell to the floor. They looked at the picture; it was the same one that was on the nightstand in Max's room, a picture of when Max had been born and she was wrapped in a blue blank in her mothers arms and her dad had has arm wrapped around her mother, two wedding bands, which had belonged to Max's parents. And the last thing that had fallen out of a piece of some kind of amulet. Alex picked it up and study its detailed features as Max picked up the other things. Placing the wedding bands on her thumb, which was the only finger they fat on and she folded the letter and slid the picture in the one of the folds then shoved them in her back pocket. She then joined Alex and Kya in studying the piece of what ever it was.

"Well what do you think, Al?" Max asked as she peered over Kya's shoulder to get a better look. Kya turned to Max and noticed that the darkness in her eye's had left but not completely. Just then Alex moved next her, which drew her attention back. Alex was reaching for the little black book, if what her thoughts were right the book and the piece belonged together. She lifted the book to eye level and studied the markings on the piece and in the book and she shook her head, she had been right.

"Just as I thought. Some how this book and this piece of whatever are connected some how and well that's just about it. Since we can't read the dialect well just have to deal." Max took both thing from Alex, there had to be some way to get more info. Kya put her hands behind her head and lied back on the floor. Alex had gotten up from where she had been sitting and was stretching, she quietly left the room and went to the bathroom. And Kya took the opportunity to talk to Max privately.

"Max are you and Alex okay, there's been a lot of tension between the two of you to since the day she came back?" Kya asked as she rolled to face her friend. Max didn't look up from the book and thought for a moment shrugging her shoulders. If something had been wrong it was gone now. Kya waited for the answer but when it never came she got a little annoyed. "What about the portal and everything the um…" she was going to ask about what the letter had said but she didn't know how to put it. Max finally looked at her, there was still dullness to her eyes and it probably wouldn't go away anytime soon.

"Hey don't worry about it. We'll go through the portal as planed and when we get to the other side I'll ring the neck of the person we meet to get the info out of him. And if he still doesn't talk I'll just beat him until he does, then after we get the info we can come right back like nothing had ever happened." She smiled and looked back at the piece of amulet and book. Kya watched as she flipped the pages of the book and tossed the bronze piece in the air then caught it again. They heard the door open and Alex walked back into the room.

"That's all fine and dandy Max, but what if we can't get back form where ever we go to, or something eats us, or the government finds out that is was us that got into there top secret research or whatever it is and they throw us in prison for the rest of our lives?" Alex asked and she flopped on to the bed near the door and looked at Max waiting for some smart al-lick reply. But she didn't get one, Max just turned and stared at her.

"Well it was on the letter that I'm supposed to go through the portal anyway so I guess it doesn't matter." She said and a smirk fell a crossed her face. Alex stared back, Max had good point, but the letter had also said that she wasn't supposed to come back through the portal. And there's the small fact about her true father, from the letter it sounded like he was a pretty bad guy. But Alex really didn't want to bring that up, at least not for a while.

Kya watched Max go back to looking at the bronze piece and looked at Alex who was deep in thought. Just then something came to her and she had to have an answer, before she was willing to do any of this crazy stuff. She rolled back on her back and stared up at the ceiling, trying to put her thoughts in the gentlest way she could, and a lot harder then it sounded. When she finally decided on what to say she pushed her self back up into a sitting position. It had taken her a while and now Alex was reading a book and Max was still tossing the bronze piece into the air and catching it again

"Um, I have one little question, erm… what about, don't take this the wrong way or anything…" Kya paused when she felt both of her friends gazes fall upon her, she swallowed hard and then spat the rest out, "What about your father, Max? In the letter it sounded like he was a bad guy, and your mom said something about your powers. What's that supposed to mean?" She'd done it and now it was all off her chest, she closed her eye and threw her head back. When she finally dared to look at the others she was surprised to see their expression. She was half expecting Max to burst out anger and start yelling but her eye were normal and her mouth was in a firm cress. And Alex just had a blank stare but neither of them said anything, and Kya deiced to leave it at that.

"So Max when do you think we can use the portal?" Kya had to change the subject because silence just wasn't working. She looked at Max, who was still deep in thought.

"Well when we do we better bring some supplies with us. Because I really don't want to get stranded anywhere and not have anything to do." Alex said, she was staring up at the ceiling and then looked at her friends. Max was smiling and Kya just stared off into space. Then she looked at Alex,

"Well I don't want to get stranded at all! What about our parents, aren't you worried they'll notice we're gone?" Kya asked. Alex pushed her self so that her head was hanging off the bed.

"Not as if my parents will ever know. Not like there ever home when I am and when they are they're in bed so you know." Alex didn't like to admit it but she didn't really like her parents that much, the fact that they were never home was the biggest reason. Kya stared at the floor and her thought's wonder to her farther back at home. He was there all alone, Kya was the only thing he had left in the world after her mother died and she didn't know if she wanted to leave him too. She got up and picked up the phone, then sat back down again. She pressed a few numbers and put the phone to her ear and heard it ring. Just then a man's voice came through and said hi.

"Hey Dad," Kya said back and she could feel the lump rising in her throat, she tried to swallow it back down but it wouldn't go. "I just wanted to call you and say good night before it got to late." She told the man on the other end. She could tell he was smiling on the other end.

"Well thank you and good night to you my darling." His word sounded happy and it made Kya smile too just as tears bridged the edge of her deep green eyes. Max and Alex watched as Kya said she love the person on the other end of the line, then said goodbye, they know how close she and her father were but it was up to Kya whether she stayed or she went.

Max finally deiced that Alex was right and they weren't going to get any information out of the stone and book so she put them to the side. "Well anyone up for bed?" Max said through a deep yawn. The other shook their heads, it had been a long day and there was still more work to do the next. They had all gotten into their pajamas and into bed; Max reached over to the night lamp and clicked it off. She lied on her back for a while and stared at the ceiling thinking about her grandparents. _Why hadn't they told me, them of all people should had told me? Why? And what about my real father who is he and why am I not supposed to find him? What's up with this power my mom's talking about, maybe she really was crazy, no there has to be a reasonable explanation._ Max's thoughts keep reeling around, until she heard Kya voice.

"Hey Max?" She heard Kya whisper, she turned over to face Kya and saw the deep sadness that was there. "Max, do you really think we should leave. And if we can't get back what will we do then, I afraid and something tells me we have to do this for you… but then there's something deeper saying that it isn't right." Kya whispered and she turned to face Max as a tear streamed down her face. Max gave her a reassuring smile then began to talk, words Kya would never forget along with the smile.

"The choice is up to you what your fate is. Only you can be the one to choose the path you take in life, whether that's going with Alex and me or staying here with your father. And no matter what you choose you will always have Alex, your father, or be there for you." Max said and smiled again. Kya nodded her head then smiled back, she watched as Max rolled back over and stare at the ceiling. "Max, I'm sorry." Kya said and rolled over falling into a deep. Max's eyes widened but before she rolled on to her side again Kya had already gone to sleep, _Why dose it matter so much, why can't I just get over it like everything else in my life?_ Max asked her self, as she fell a sleep something seemed to answer her, _because you can lock everything in side but that doesn't mean you don't feel the effects of it all._ Was the last thing she had heard before felling into a deep sleep.

XxXxXxXxX

Max woke several hours' later form a nightmare the same that had woke her the night before. She looked at the clock and noticed that it was only one am, but she couldn't fall back a sleep no matter what she tried. She eventually got up from her bed and went into the bathroom to take a shower. As she came upon the stairs she could hear voices form the living room. _Grandpa must have left the TV on before he went to bed._ She thought and she silently slipped down the stairs, before she hit the bottom she recognized a voice as the mayors'. Max dropped into a crouching position and sat at the base of the stairs, listening to the conversation between her grandparents and a few government officials. "Please we won't harm the girls we just need to cover this all back up. What they've gotten them selves into is government business, we just want to keep it hidden. We've also have spoken to the other girl's parents as well and they have given their permission all we need is your's Mrs. Maldonado." The mayor whispered, there was a silent pause and then Max heard her grandma clear her throat. "Yes well Max has a right to knew what happened to her parents and if it evolves your operation then so be it. Don't you think she has gone through enough, with her parents gone it only makes' matter worse when she dose realize these things are what they seem. She'll be devastated crushed, I don't care what you say you will not take the girls and that is final." She was using a harsh tone one that Max had never heard come out of her before, but Max was relieved that even though her grandmother might be losing her that she would still have the heart to stand up for her. Max turned to go back up stare when they started again. "Mrs. Maldonado, this conversation will not go on any longer. Those girls will be taken into custodies when they wake. All three of their homes will be searched top to bottom for any government property. And they will be questioned about what they know. And if they do not cooperate they will be charged with, with holding evidence form the government. I'm sorry but nothing else can be done, it's their own fault for getting themselves into this mess." Max listened in pure horror; if they didn't leave know it was most likely they could spend time or the rest of their lives in prison, if that was even fair. Max slowly creep back up the stairs and into the room. She quickly woke both Alex and Kya and explained to them what she had heard.

"Why the crap did they come back and how they know it was us in the first place?" Alex asked as she pulled on a pair of pants and pulled a shirt down over her head, she then started packing a bag full of clothes and other things they might need. Max looked at her friends, there was fear in their eye but they knew as well as she did that it had to be done now, that there was no turning back.

"All I've got to say is if that bitch at the cemetery told them anything she dead! I can't believe this is happening, Alex what else do we have to do to get that thing up and running, and tell me it isn't much because when they've found we're not hear anymore they'll know right where to check!" Max said. She went under her bed and pulled two boxes out; one was the box with all the notes in it, including the black book and the piece of bronze, and the other Alex and Kya just stared at for a moment then went back to getting their things together. Alex grabbed her laptop off the desk and shoved it into her bag she slipped her shoes on and was all ready to leave. Kya was ready too, she was now staring out the window toward her house and both Max and Alex knew what she felt.

"We have to load up the rest of the files, clean off the ring, and put in the inscription cods and that should be all. Hey what is going to happen to our parents, what if they're take in for questioning or hauled off to prison?" Alex asked, there was a hint of worry in her voice and now things were starting to look bad.

Max really didn't know but she gave them they best answer that made the most sense, "Listen, we didn't tell anyone about this so most likely my grandparents will cover for your parents. Nothing going to happen I promise. And it's not like they're going to be hauled off to prison for not knowing anything" Max told them, she couldn't say she was right but it was the most likeliest scenario. She pulled another bag out of the closet before slipping on her shoes.

XxXxXxXxX

Max opened the window and pushed the screen out enough so that it wouldn't fall and make any noise. They lifted their bags out on to the roof and then slipped out closing the window and pushing the screen back in place behind them. They creep to the lower roof at the back end of the house and climbed down on to it, from there Max jumped down to the ground first. She looked around the corner of the house to the front; no one had come out yet. _They must all still be in side talking_ she thought to her self. She looked into the drive way there were some men in black suit standing near a black Mercedes they didn't look like they were paying any attention so she waved to Alex and Kya, they handed their bags to Max then jumped down from their spots. Max led them to the back of the house, where there was a basement window. She pulled the window open and slipped in. She looked around then Alex came in; Kya stayed outside and keep watch.

"What are we doing down here?" Alex asked. She looked around the small basement; there was nothing but boxes. Max point to one wall with a door on it. They both ran over to it; Alex opened the door and Max slipped in she grabbed two more of the boxes that she had grabbed in the room and handed them to Alex. Alex shoved them in to the extra bag. Max then started to grab what was left of the MRE's handing them to Alex, as she shoved them into the bag as well.

"Max we have enough." Alex whispered and zipped up the bag. She turned back toward the window and lugged the bag toward it. Max was just about follow her when she spotted her "fathers'" old gun rack.

"Max come on we've got to go." Alex poked her head through the doorway.

"You go on, I'll be right behind you." She whispered. Alex nodded then ran back to the window. Max walked over to the gun case; she opened it, there was a somewhat large selection of guns to choose from. She quickly grabbed two of her fathers' desert eagles and shoved them into a holster pack she found, she then hooked it around her waist. Just then she heard footsteps from above her she quickly started shoving as many magazines as she could into the extra bag, last she also grabbed an old python off the rack and carefully placed it in with the ammo. It was a bigger gun so it packed a bigger punch with .357 rounds. Max finally was content and closed the bag. She ran back to the window shoving the bag up first. Alex and Kya gave her a hand and lifted her out of the hole. When she was stably on foot they picked up there bags and ran for the woods. Max stopped when they had gotten into the trees, she looked back at the old house she had lived in since she was three, what ever was planed for her future she hopped it'd be worth it. She turned and ran after her friends, when she caught up they were all silent. It was about a two-mile hike through the woods to the old bunk from Max's house and they had made good time packing. There would be a good several hours before anyone know they were missing, _hopefully that would be enough time for them to get out,_ Max looked at her friend and was glad she didn't have to go through this all alone.

"That was the… the… well you know what I mean." Alex said as they ran on, that was the last thing anyone said for a while. By the time they had reach the bunker, the sun was starting to come up over the foothills that surrounded the town. They all ran in and locked the door behind them. They walked down the hallway and to the ledge that over looked the lab, everything was all set up and ready for them to make the decision of their lives. Alex ran down the steps and to the main computer console, she was already typing at the keys like a mad man. Max and Kya sat their stuff down and started back up the stairs, they had to find away to delay anyone looking for them in the near future. Max looked at Kya when they reached the top of the stairs and pause for a moment. There was a room filled with nothing but crates of to the right of the main door they could use some to block the entryway.

"Kya if you're going to make your decision, now would be the right time. You already know what mine and Alex's are." Max said and Kya stopped in her tracks. She stood there for a few moments then turned and through her arms around Max, Max froze for a moment then gave in to the hug. They stood like this for and few minutes then Kya push away, her face was all red and tears were streaming down her puffy cheeks. Max was about to speak when she heard Kya raise her voice, she stopped and listen to what Kya had to say before really taking it all in.

"Max thanks, I don't know what I would do or where I would be with out you and Alex but I'm the only thing my father's got to live for in this world and well I just couldn't live with the thought that I brought total and utter devastation to him so…" There was a long pause as Max waited for an answer. It felt like an eternity when Kya finally spoke up again, her voice was trembling and cracking but she found the courage to say what had to be said, "that's why I'm… going with you." She still had tear streaming down her face but then, then there was the smile that could go on forever. Max wrapped her arms around her friend's shoulders and laughed at it all. If this experience didn't help her find out anything about her life then it sure as hell brought her friends closer, and made their friend ship unbreakable, or so she thought. Max and Kya walked down the hall laughing and smiling. Just then they heard a popping noise come from out side and braking from dogs. They heard their names being called out, Kya froze instantly, while Max ran up to the door propping her ear against it and listening to the yell. They still sounded far enough away.

"Kya go tell Alex to speed things up a bit, then get your but back here to help me prop some of the crates from the other room against the door." Max instructed, Kya nodded her head and ran back the way they had come from. Max throw open the door to the right of the min entrance and started hauling creates out, she had about five or six out when she decided that would be enough. She left the room then started shoving the crates toward the front door. With in moments Kya rejoined her and double her effort in moving the crates. By the time they heard the top door slam open there was already enough crates to keep anyone from getting in. They heard footsteps storm down the stares and then there was the jiggling of the handle before the men outside the door started to pound on it. Kya slowly backed away and Max stood there staring up at the their stack of crates. The handle on the door shock again causing Kya to jump and grab Max by the shoulders trying to pull her away and before she did Max shut up her middle finger up at the door not as if anyone could see what she was doing but it was the thought that counted. They took the steps down into the main lab two at a time, their hearts races and breath almost gone from their lungs from the laughter that had come from the gesture. When Max reached the bottom of the steps she ran to Alex's side, Alex looked back at her then started tapping the keys as fast as she could.

"Hurry Al." Max yelled as she ran toward the gate, she reached up pulling the trap covering it away. Just then there was and explosion from up the stairs. Max turned on her heels and grabbed a bag from Kya and looked frantically at Alex.

"Come on Al their using C4 to get through, they obviously think we're terrorists." Max yelled as Kya threw bags to her from farther away.

"Last code," she blurt out, "six, nine, seven, four, one." She yelled and the gate roared open in a flash of blue white light Alex ran over to them by the gate way. She grabbed up a few of the bags as did Kya then took Kya by the arm and quickly looked back at Max, Max nodded then Alex and Kya ran through the gate together. Max watched as her friends were engulfed by the blinding light. She pulled out the python she had taken form her fathers' old gun rack and loaded it as fast as she could then took aim the master computer, she looked to the top of the stairs just as men started to appear. Time seemed to slow all around her, she saw her grandparent's, Kya's dad, and Alex's parents, her grandfather held her grandmother. Max's gaze met there's, _We're sorry,_ is what she found in both either gazes and to them hers said back, _It's okay I know. _The men were starting down the stairs; she pulled the trigger on the powerful weapon and as it back lashed she jumped for the gate. Time sped back up immediately as she vanished into the light. As soon as she was throw everything shut down, the computers were all fried the light from the ring had dissipated and the men were left standing in confusion. The only thing that could be heard was a cry from Max's grandmother, and the other parents around her, although hers was not of sorrow but of good luck as tears ran down her old worn face.


	3. Chapter 3 Accident

Eternity

Disclaimer: I do not own the Jak and Daxter series it is owned by Naughty Dog. the only characters I do own are Max, Kya, Alex, and Amber.

Max801: Wow 2 chapters in one day haha Jk. I have most of the story already written considering, but anyway this is the introduction to the mystery girl Amber and the mystery is not so much about who she is but why she was brought to the world of Jak and Daxter. So please review and this is the last chapter before the game begins...

Eternity

Renegade

Chapter three

Accident

Amber walked down the front steps of her school, there was a gray green mini van waiting at the bottom for her. She pulled the handle on the door and the door came open, inside her mother was waiting for her, she smiled and Amber climbed in. Amber reached up to the back of her head and pulled out the scrunchy that had keep her dark hair out of her face. Her hair fell down and framed her face, she looked at her mom with blue green eye's that shown with pure joy and smiled. Her mother smiled back and pulled the car away form the curb, they pulled out of the school parking lot and turned left to go down Bucklin hill into Silverdale.

"So how was your day?" Amber's mom asked she was keeping an eye on the traffic that was all around them. Amber watched the life around her flow without faltering. She turned to her mom but didn't say anything. Her day had gone okay she guessed, nothing out of the ordinary. She got up that morning, ran for twenty minutes, and then got ready for school. When at school she went to all her class but still nothing exciting happened, except for the fact that grades had come out but she wasn't about to tell her mother about those. Not that they were all that bad but the one F she did have would allow her mother with just enough anger to firer off and then she would be ground for spring break. And she wasn't about to let that happen considering one of her BFF's was flying in from Georgia the next day and they would have the house to themselves for the entire week. It was surprising how much Light House Cove had grown since her mother started there.

"Oh you know same old same old. What about you, anything new for Lee to worry about, or maybe another one of your famous outrageous out bursts." Amber said questioningly, they laughed because knowing Lee who was normally so quiet was on the verge of crazed psychosis. The light in front of them turned red and her mom stopped the car, she waited patiently for the light to turn green again and then the car lurched forward. They hit the bank of America before going home, Amber's mom had to deposit something or other. When they got home Amber jumped out of the car and started down the block toward the mailboxes. It wasn't often that she checked the mail but when she did she was normally expecting something. She placed the key in to the slot and turned. She opened the little square door and pulled out a stack of envelopes. She closed the box and started going through the names on each of the envelopes, but there was nothing there for her. She rolled her eyes and handed the mail off to her mom before going into the house, she dropped her bag on the stairs and went into the kitchen. Her mother walked in the door and set the mail on the cabinet, apparently she hadn't found anything good either.

"So what's for dinner? Hey I hear the new Chinese place is really good, maybe we should go try." Amber said while opening the refrigerator, not looking for anything in particular. She closed it again and walked over to the dinning room table.

"Nice try Amber but your father's cooking hamburgers." She heard her mother say after the answering machine turned off. Amber rolled her eye and turned on the TV and turned it to channel eighteen to watch X-play. "Mathew get off the play station and get your home work done before you and your father go out this week." Her mother instruct and Amber turned around as her brother came in.

"Hey mom I get the Meiata this week right?" She asked, "And don't for get I have to pick up Sierra form the air port Saturday night. Oh I can't wait a whole spring break to my self, no one but Sierra and me. God how lucky am I?" Amber turned back around in her chair and sat her head on her palms thinking about how her week will go from beginning to end. _Let's see first we can hit that concert Sierra wanted to go to, then off to the mall for shopping, oh wait we should hit the spring fair at the fair grounds they're supposed to have some killer rides happening. Hey wait we could go meet up with the guys and hang at the beach. Wait…_ "Hey mom you did put that money aside for this week right?" She turned in a panic and saw her mother shake her head and dialed the phone.

"Don't get all drolly now." Amber's brother said form across the table. Amber glared at him and he stuck out his tongue. Amber flicked him off and he did the same to her, she gave up and went back to watching the TV. The maturity difference between the two was only four years but they still fought like they were five. Her brother had dark hair and dark eyes nothing like Amber's normally bleach blond and blue eye. And on the spectrum of all things they were on completely different ends. Her brother was on the jock end of the spectrum and was mostly popular where as she was on the other end but not in the geek area more like the people that just didn't give a rat's ass on what society thought about them because they were just going to do what they want to anyway. Just then the phone at her side started to buzzing, she quickly grabbed it, flipped it open and put it to her ear. She could here someone breathing into the other end but the person didn't say anything. Amber moved the phone away form her ear and looked at it for a moment, then her gaze moved to her brother. He had his hood up over one ear and was looking at the wall. She picked up a glass bead form the plate at the center of the table and chucked it at him.

"Nice try. God why can't you just grow up?" She said and closed her cell phone; her brother laughed for a moment then got over it. Amber looked at the clock then back at her brother, _god why is it so boring around here,_ she thought and went back to watching the television. Just then her father walked through the door, she looked at the evil smirk that fell across his face when he saw her. She shook her head and got up, he follow close behind her. Putting his feet under hers as she tried to walk away, she turned to face him but his chest was in the way and she slipped and fell to the ground. "Dad nock it off, it gets old." She yelled, he laughed and looked down at her. "Oh but Amber it's just to much fun to annoy you and plus it's to easy." He told her and turned to go up the stairs. She sat there and watched as he disappeared then got off the floor, and walked into the living room and sat down with her mother.

"Why dose he have to do that to me? It was great and all when I was a little girl and all but now it's just annoying." She asked, but didn't get a response. She rolled her eyes. All that night her parents and brother were busy packing for their trips. Her brother and father were going up with the guys from NSSC for a camping trip in the mountains. And her mother was flying to Las Vagas for a vacation with her boss formwork. Amber sat at the computer instant messaging Sierra half the night before finally going to bed.

XxXxXxXxX

The next day was just as hectic, with her brother and dad getting ready what they had forgotten the night before. She stayed in her room for the time being. She sat at her computer going through the files she needed and didn't. Considering it she had a lot of useless files, most of them were just files with the same things on it. She turned on the radio and listen for a while, she was board out of her mind so she finally got up and went to take a shower. She went to the linen closet and pulled out a towel then walked into the bathroom. She turned on the hot water and pulled up the shower, Amber slipped off her clothes and got in under the hot water. Amber let it hit her face then stuck her head under the running water, she heard voices out side the door and then the door came flying open. She jumped and pulled the shower curtain toward her body looking out at her mother.

"Amber have you seen my curling iron?" She asked as she went through the cabinets in search for her missing curling iron. Amber let go of the curtain and rolled her eyes. She didn't know how many times this would have to happen before she shot her self in the head.

"Have you tried the down stairs bath room? And you know I don't use your stuff so why come looking in my bathroom? And next time nock." She said and looked out at her mother. "Hey now I made that body and I can see it any time I want." Her mother said before closing the door behind her. Amber looked at the ceiling and asked why she had to have the weirdest family on the face of the earth. When she didn't get an answer she went back to washing her.

When she was done she turned off the water and grabbed her towel, she wrapped it around herself and left the bathroom. In her room she turned on the music again then got dressed. She pulled on a pair of old beat up flairs that had holes torn in them all over and then pulled over her head a t-shirt with AC DC written on the front, then over the top of that she slipped on a thing black jacket and zipped it half way. She put on a pair of her favorite vans and then went back to the bathroom and brushed out her hair. Then put it up in a ponytail that was all she ever did to her hair and the only one that ever seemed to mind was her mother. She always told Amber that it was going to pull out all her hair, but as usual she didn't listen it was not like that was ever really going to happen. She went back into her room and sat down on her bed listening to the rhythms of the music, it always made her mind drift away into space.

"Amber Marie Neal, get down here now!" her mother yelled up the stairs, Amber pulled her self up off the bed and groaned as she went down the stairs. Her mother was waiting at the bottom holding a piece of paper, Amber's eyes widen as they fell on to the paper she knew exactly what it was. She stopped in mid step and stared down at her mother waiting for the worst of it to come. "What were you thinking that you could get away with hiding your grades? And what the hell is up with this F?" Her mother looked down at the paper again and then a death gaze fell upon Amber who just stood there with a blank gaze on her face like she always did. Her mother began to speak but then stopped and just shook her head.

"It isn't even my fault. Okay so we were taking a final and the guy next to me decided he wanted some answers and took them from me. I guess I over reacted when the teacher called me out for cheating and as regulations go he failed my. If it hadn't been for that I'd still have a C." Amber said as she remember blowing up in the teachers face. Her mother stared at her astounded she didn't know what to think.

"I shouldn't even letting Sierra come over here this week." Her mother said angrily and Amber looked at her shocked and dismayed, "Well I'd say it's a little to late for that and I can't believe you are actually going to blame me for this. It wasn't even my fault." Amber snapped out of anger and as a reaction her mother brought her hand across her face. Amber looked on shocked she hadn't been wanting to hear any more of her mothers' lecturing and she could all ready feel her face getting red and tears start to fill her eyes. She went through her door and slammed it behind her, out of rage and some what disillusion she grabbed her spare back pack from her closet shoved a few miscellaneous things in it including spare clothing and her purse then proceeded to pop out her screen and climb out the window. She jumped down into the dog yard and peeped through the blinds in to the kitchen but did she her mother. Slowly she pushed open the sliding glass door smacked by her mother in forever and now it was kind of odd. "I want you in your room now. I don't want to see you until I leave this afternoon and your lucky I'm not going to call up Sierra's parents and tell her that the plans have been canceled." Amber rounded on the stairs not wanting to go on with another one of her mothers' lectures about not be able to get in to college plus she could already feel her face turning red out of anger and tears welling up in her eyes. Her mother didn't follow as she went into her room and slammed the door behind her. Out of frustration and anger Amber pulled an extra backpack from her closet and started to throw miscellaneous things into it including a spare set of clothing, her lab top, and her purse. She then went to the window sliding it open carefully, she popped out the screen and set it aside then proceeded to grab her things and climb out the window re-closing it when she was out. From the ledge under her window she jumped the few feet to the ground below, from the dog yard she looked through the window to find her mother walking through the kitchen on the phone then into the living room where she settled herself. Amber went over to the sliding glass window and carefully slid it open so that she wouldn't make to much noise then slipped in. Sitting on the cabinet were the keys to her fathers' meiata, she grabbed them then slipped back out the sliding glass door. Out side she opened the gate and left the dog yard and headed for the parking lot where the little silver topless car sat. She tossed her things over into the passenger seat and then jumped over the door into the drivers seat. With in moments she had the car started and was going through trigger gate.

XxXxXxXxX

Shari looked at her daughters' door before walking over to it and knocking, "Amber I'm leaving. We'll talk about the F after spring break. Amber." She could hear music blaring from the stereo but then the music stopped and as if the song know Amber had gone said yeah and then the music started up again drowning out any other noise. Shari looked down for a moment depressed that her daughter hadn't even come out to say good bye face to face but she could really blame her considering the fight that had just taken place. She heard a horn form down stairs and went back for her things and going down stairs. She went out the front door and found her boss's car waiting in the street for her with the trunk open and one of the windows rolled down. She went to the back and through her things in and closed it after her she then went to the open window, "Hang on Lee I've got to grab my purse and leave a note for Amber before we go any where." She said before running back inside to find her purse sitting on one of the bar stools. She grabbed it then went for a note pad and pen. She quickly scribbled down a note and left it on the counter, she yelled one last good bye up the stairs to her daughter but still got no reply to she left the house and locked the door behind her.

XxXxXxXxX

Amber had been driving for hours; she looked at the other cars on the road. Rain beat down on the windshield of the car as she flipped on the windshield wipers, it had just now started and was getting on her nerves but she keep driving on with the radio blaring at the peek of the volume. There was nothing going through her mind but what her mother had said before she had taken off. They hadn't even said goodbye but she guess she could blame her self for that since she was the one that stormed off in the first place. But still she felt that her mother had no right saying what she had, _she wasn't even there so what dose she know. It's not as if I meant to blow up in the teachers face and it's not like I've ever done it before… not like she's never done it in her life time… why did that guy have to cheat in the first place. God why dose every thing happen to me._ Her thoughts relied in circle, she tried to clear them but nothing seemed to help until she heard her stomach growl over the loud music. She hadn't eaten since… well the night before; she didn't get to eat breakfast. She pulled off on the next off ramp and looked for the closet place to grab a bite to eat. Luckily there was a small dinner close by, Amber pulled into the parking lot and stopped the car sitting there for a while before going in.

"Good evening what can I get for ya?" Amber looked at the women behind the counter, she was smiling and Amber smiled back. She looked up at the menu but really couldn't decide what she wanted. And she couldn't help the felling that she must look a little lost and confused to the lady at the cash register.

"Well what would you suggest?" Amber asked timidly, the women laughed all little, "Well if you ask me it's all a bunch of crap but what do I know. How about a hot bowl of soup for such an awful afternoon?" The women had the biggest smile on when she said that. Amber wasn't sure if she should be scared of the woman or if the woman was just overly friendly, she nodded her head to the woman. Amber watched as the women disappeared into the back before walking over to the closest both and sat down. She looked around the small dinner; there were only a few other people there. Two men were at the end of the bar watching a football game on a TV that hung from the wall and there was an old couple in a corner both enjoy each other's company and their dinner. Amber placed her bag on the table and pulled out her cell phone she looked at it for a while then placed it on the table and pushed it away. She didn't want to talk but it probably would have helped. The woman that was behind the counter brought a bowl of soup out and placed it in front of Amber. She nodded then went back to the counter and turned the volume on the TV up. Amber sat there staring out the window at the rain for a moment before she started on the soup. It wasn't quiet the best soup she had ever had but it was still good; when she was finished she looked at the score on the foot ball game. It was twenty-one to sixteen at the end of the third quarter and Seattle was winning it, she jumped when the two men at the end of the bar hollered in joy as the Seahawks scored again. Amber looked at the cell phone she had push away for a long moment then picked it up and shoved it back into her bag, she got up form the both and went to the lady at the counter.

"Thanks for the hot meal, how much do I owe you?" She asked the lady as she looked up and smiled, Amber smiled back and took her wallet out of her bag.

"Two forty seven, so you're leaving already. It's pouring out side why don't you stay a while, it'd be a lot safer then traveling in the pouring rain." The woman had a worried look flash across her face. Amber thought about it for a moment. But then decided that she needed to go to the mall and pick up a few things then head home and try to get a hold of her mom.

"It's okay I only live about two hours from here, plus I kind of need to get home. Me and my mom had a fight before I left." She told the woman then handed her five dollars, "Keep the change, thanks again." They smiled at each other and Amber walked out the door. She climbed into her car and started the engine; she pulled out of the parking lot and drove back on to the high way. The woman watched as she went, there was another holler form the foot ball fans as the cars back lights disappeared into the rain, _she was the one the one with a pure heart. Hum I still don't see why you need her Bishop and why she has to be dead but it's your plan. I only hope that your daughter powers are as grand as you say they are or there will be a price to pay for that desire you had been granted with._

Amber turned on the windshield wipers as it started to pour again; she could hardly see the road as it was. _Maybe I should have taken her up on that offer at least until it cleared up,_ Amber thought as she turned off the radio. Every little thing was starting to get on her nerves now, the rain, the same music, even the little voice in the back of her head. She tried to suppress it as well as she could and concentrate on driving, but something always popped up. She was only a mile away from Silverdale when it happened and it happened all at once. She looked at her rearview mirror for and moment then back at the road. Her eyes widen when the head lights of the car hit a figure in front of the car, she swerve so not to hit the man. Time seemed to slow to a crawl when she hit the side rail of the high way, her car flipped over it and she closed her eyes as tight as she could for the instant, _How could this be happening why? What did I ever do. Oh my God mom,_ were the last thing's that popped into her head. Before it all ended there was a bright flash of white light, it engulfed her and she felt different then there was nothing.

The man stood on the high and watched as the car swerved to avoid him, his heart stopped and a wicked smirk formed a crossed his face as the car started to flip over the rail. Just then he saw the flash of white light that engulfed the front seat of the car, he cursed him self for not being more careful in the extermination of the girl and knew who was behind the white light. As soon as the car had stopped flipping over he walked over and took a look in the front seat but the girl was definitely gone, taken by the higher power that also protected his daughter. He kick the car and headed back up on to the road as he did his clothes changed from home less to dark robes and as soon as the lights of another car hit him he vanished in to thin air and left no trace of what had gone on but the wrecked car on the side of the road. The man that had been driving the car pulled it over and told his wife to call the police while he checked the car.

XxXxXxXxX

Shari was unpacking her stuff at the hotel when she got the call, it was about nine o'clock at night and she was just getting ready for bed. She picked up the phone and it was the clerk at the front desk, he told her she had a very important came waiting on line two. She thanked him then switched the line over.

"Shari Neal how can I help?" She said happily into the phone, on the other end she could her sirens and voices. Her happy demeanor turned in to that of a worried one for her husband and son that had gone up to the mountains for the week. "Is this about my husband and son?" She asked the worry rising in her voice.

"No ma'am… well we have found a Mazda miata register in your name, crashed on the side of the road and were wondering if you were okay, but see that you're in Vegas it's not likely that you're the one that was here." Shari's eyes widen and she dropped the phone on to the nightstand, tears started to fill her eyes as she realized that her daughter could be dead. She fell to her knees sobbing and picked up the phone again. "Mrs. Neal are you okay, there's no need to worry right away, we haven't found any signs that anyone was in the car when it crashed. And no this has anything to do with your husband or son, we have contacted them as well. Is there anyone you know that would have had accesses to the car; maybe a family member or and friend?" The police officer on the other end asked, Shari was so relieved to hear that no one had gotten hurt but where had her daughter gone. She hadn't noticed that the car had been taken, but was sure that it was Amber going out to vent her anger some where. She wiped the tears out of her eyes and got back to her feet already starting to repack for a flight back.

"My daughter had the car when I left, but you said there was no one in the car when you found it, where is she then?" She asked the man, she was shakily putting her shoes on and grabbed her coat form the chair she had thrown it over.

"Ma'am that's why we're going to need you here. Please stay calm we'll do all that we can to find your daughter." He told her, she nodded then placed the phone on the receiver. Hot tear were streaming down her face as she half walk half ran down the hall, all she could think about was that this was her fault.

XxXxXxXxX

Amber lie on a cooled surface, she felt as if she had been thrown from a plane, she tried to sit up but there was a sharp pain on her right side. Her eye flickered open and all she saw was the darkening sky with shades of red and orange, she closed them again it was bad enough that she had just ran her dad's car off the road… Amber shot up in a blind panic she was alive and wasn't dead. _Come to think of it where is the car._ She looked around but all she could tell was she was in a city in an ally somewhere. She crawled to her feet, grabbing her side from the sharp pain that held one of her ribs. She stumbled toward the light at the end of the ally and stopped dead in her tracks as she looked out upon her new surroundings.

"What the hell is going on here?" She whispered and shielded her eyes from the glaring sun, _this can't be I have to be dead I …I … I just can't… _she spun around to take in all the sights but no matter which way she turned it was all the same. She was surrendered by what she knew as Haven city. "This can't be happening… I'm dreaming and any moment now I'm going to wake up in the hospital was a bandage around my head. And mom and dad are going to yell at me for totaling the car and … and … what's the use…" Amber fell to her knees and sat one the cold hard ground of what became her new home. Just as she looked up tear's started rolling down her face and fall to the dirt, she wouldn't see any of them again, her mom, dad, Mathew her brother, or her friends, it was all gone. She pushed her back against a wall as she panicked over situation, her mind did circles as she tried to make sense of what had happened before the crash but all that came to her was the man that had been standing in the road and how strangely he had been looking at her she had noticed it before but there was something defiantly wrong about him but now she couldn't think of anything her parents and how it made no sense that she had been thrown in to her childhood fantasy; the only thing that made sense to her was the fact that she really was dead and that this is where god had placed her for her very own heaven. She sat there till the sun proceeded to fall beyond the wall protecting the city, she watched as the people begun to rush home and wondered why they were in such a hurry. Just then an old women stumbled and ended up tripping in front of her, Amber forgot about all her sorrows and her confusion for just a moment to help the old women pick up her things.

"Here let me!" Amber offered timidly and started to scoop up the strange fruits that had scattered everywhere.

"Why thank you youngin' this old body just ain't what it used to be." Said old women as she looked up at Amber and smiled, Amber smiled back but then notice the women's smiled had changed and now a look dread had taken it's place. The women quickly got up grabbing Amber's arm and pulling her away as fast as she could. Amber gave a quick glance back and saw what the women had been so afraid of, a group off men in red armor were standing where they had just been and Amber thanked god that there was someone watching out for her.

XxXxXxXxX

The next thing Amber knew she was being dragged into a dark room, she could feel the old women move about in the darkness and then the lights came on. Amber squinted at the brightness and as her eye became accustom to the light she was able to see the small room. There was a table in the middle fitted was some chairs, in the corner there was an usually large bed, and all around it seemed to look like her grandmother's house.

"Make your self at home darling… I'll be just a moment." The women said as she set her bags down on the table and moved into another room that Amber couldn't quite see. She walked over to the table pulled out a chair and sat down, finally realizing that her bag was on her back. She pulled it off and set it on the floor next to the chair she was sitting in, she could hear movement in what she made out as the kitchen and waited penitently for the women to return. She did return with a tray of tea and biscuits, Amber eyed the biscuits and the women nodded. She hadn't realized how hungry she was, she finished off the biscuit and the women offer her a cup of tea.

"Now let me take a looksie at you," she said and pulled her glasses from her pocket and placed them to her face. Her head went up and down as she study Amber taking in every little detail, which made Amber quite uncomfortable, but she let the women do what she was going to do since it was her home and she had saved Amber. "Well now aren't you just the saddest thing I have ever seen. You poor thing you must have been wondering the streets for hours. So what's your name darling?" Amber gave the women a blank stare but then diced it would be best to answer.

"My names Amber. But I wasn't wondering the streets. I don't even belong her all I remember is driving home and this man in the middle of the road." Her voice was a little shacking as she went on. "Um do you know where we are?" She asked half to her self but loud enough so that the women looked up.

"Well don't be silly now every one knows that this is Haven city rule by Baron Praxis. Now…" she paused for a moment and really took a good look at the young girl that sat in front of her and for the first time she realized that they were different. Not by much but it was still there, "Oh dear lordy me what have I gotten my self in to this time? You surly aren't from here." Amber looked at the floor and she could feel the tear starting to well up but she tried her best to push them down again not wanting to cry in front of the women. "Oh right I'm sorry I shouldn't be so rude and don't mind me I pretty much say what ever pops into my head. Tends to get me into a lot of trouble these days. I'm Jade. Well now Amber how's about you tell me about your self, what happened before I ran into ya, and we get you cleaned up?" Jade asked, Amber was silent for a moment but then nodded her head and for the first time since that morning she really smiled.

Amber told Jade all about what had happened that morning with her and her mother's fight. How she had run off without saying goodbye, then what she had done at the dinner and the trip home before running in to the strange man that caused her to run off the road, the only thing she had left out was the part about this world not even being real but she wasn't even sure of that her self at the moment and it sure as hell felt real enough. When she had finished so had Jade with bandaging the wounds Amber had some how collected. Jade looked at the clock and saw that it was getting late and that they would have to sleep soon or else they would have no energy in the morning. She put the bandages way and started rummaging through her old things to find Amber something to wear.

"Quite the story you got there. Well you're here now and we can ask the few I know if there's anything they can do for you but that will have to wait for the morning for now we need to get some rest. Here we go, this used to be my old night gown when I was younger." She tossed the old slip to Amber then pushed her into the bathing room so that the young girl could change. Amber looked around the bathing room, it was really no better then the ones at school except it had a bathtub. She pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it over the edge of the tub. Her thoughts were reeling around in her head, half the time making no sense to her at all. _Let's see the last thing I remember was leavening the dinner and as I was drive along … that man he walked out into the middle of the road like he owned it or something and his creepy look. That' when I swerved and hit the railing. Maybe he had something to do with all this… or maybe I really am dead and this is just where I was sent… but that wouldn't explain why I can feel pain. This is all just to confusing, why does this shit happen to me. What are my parents going to think if they can never find me. Will my mom always be mad at her self for the fight we had, will they forget me,_ as she thought these things more tears started to well up and all she wanted to do was go home, but just as she thought of home her thoughts went to the game._ Wait what'll happen if I run in to the characters of the game, is this even close to the game or is it reality oh god this is to confusing,_ tears came rolling down the sides of her face and she quickly wiped them away trying to be as strong as possible. She slipped the night gown over her head and neatly folded her clothes placing them on the chair next to the exit, _this can't be right this never happens to me then why now…_ she stepped out into the living area and watched as Jade built up a fire. Jade instructed her that there was a fold out bed in the couch in the corner of the room and that she should probably pull it out if she wanted somewhere to sleep for the night. Amber moved to the corner and did as she had been instructed to, Jade came back in to the room with a pillow and some blankets and handed them to Amber.

"Have a good night sleep darling and in the morning we'll try and figure this all out." Jade crawled into the huge bed at the other end of the room before turning out the lights. Amber was left in the gloomy shadows of the fire that burned in the fireplace. She half heartedly throw the blankets and pillow on to the old pull out bed then slowly walked over to the window. She looked out over the darkening city the only lights left on were that of in the palace and the large security lamps which pretty much lit up the whole city. She wonder what her parents were doing and even if they noticed she was gone, she felt tears welling in her eye again but this time she didn't fight back she let them roll down her cheeks and on to the old over sized night gown.

"I'm sorry for all the trouble mom, dad and I really do love you both." Was the last thing she said before crawling into the pull out bed. She lied there for what felt like hours before falling in to a heavy sleep. The next morning she woke up to the sound of Jade in the kitchen. She pushed her self from the bed carefully trying not to hurt her injured side, she silently slipped into the kitchen and sat down at the bar. Jade was too caught up in what she was doing to even notice that Amber was up, and when she turned from what she was doing she was startled.

"Well now you are quite the sneaky one. So what would you like for breakfast I can just about make any thing you'd like." Jade asked as she turned back to the stove. Amber wasn't really sure if she was all that hungry but she told Jas that what ever sounded good. Jade began mixing up different concoctions of ingredients and it wasn't long before they had a full fledge meal. Jade joined Amber at the bar, "Now where was it you said you were from my dear?" Jade asked and took a sip of her tea and placed the cup back down. Amber finish what was in her mouth then answered,

"Well I come from Silverdale Washington. And well I don't belong here but I don't know how I got here in the first place." Amber looked down at the plate of food and remembered what she had said to her mother before leaving. She didn't even know if her parents knew she was gone or maybe they thought she was dead. She could feel the pain start to swell in her chest and pushed the thoughts way. They finished their breakfasts in silence then Jade told Amber to get dress and that they were going out. Amber did as she was told and went to her bag, she grabbed and new shirt and pair of pants. Then realized she hadn't put any of that in her bag before she left, but shrugged it off when she heard Jade call form somewhere in the back of the house. Amber followed the short hallway to the every back room where Jas was pulling clothes out of an old dresser. She put together an out fit on the bed and Amber stared at it, the look on her face saying "what you want me to wear that, are you crazy?"

"Well come on now child we can't have you sticking out like a sore thumb." Jade said as she moved past Amber to get dressed herself. Amber turned as Jade went out the door; she was still wearing the same expression, she lowered her head and looked back at the out fit, _well I guess I could try doing something with this_. Amber went to work putting the out fit together the best she could and knew how. When she came she was wearing a pair of tan capries and oval green tank top under a cream colored half cut shirt.

"Well now don't you look nice, the only thing is those shoes of yours." Jas said as she inspected the out fit. Amber looked down at her shoes then up to Jade, her eyes wide. Jade shook her head laughing at the young girl, "Well I guess it wouldn't hurt letting you wear some of your own cloths. Come along." Jade grabbed up her bag and headed for the door, Amber followed hesitantly. Out side the streets were already filled with people as they went on with their daily lives. Amber looked around and a huge smile grow across her face, she spun around the followed after Jade as she made her way down the street. Around every corner there was something new to see, the whole city was alive with noises and smells. Jade watched Amber look at the city with only eyes that could have come from someone that had never lived there. For she knew what the real city was like and what horrors had been in the past. Jade made her way to the bazaar, more or less the shopping center of the city, Amber strolled besides Jade for the most part but every now and then something caught her eye and she'd go see what it was.

XxXxXxXxX

It was a nice morning in Haven one of the nieces one they've had since the war started. The sun was just coming up over the horizon, promising warmth for the normally cold city. Baron Praxis looked out over the city he had claimed so long ago, he turned toward his commanding officer.

"Have you found the new arrival yet?" He asked solemnly, he had been buying time for to long now and the metal head leader was getting impatient. He had several men in the dark warrior program but only one had taken to it the rest had died. The one women that had been signed for it was always slipping out from his grasp and now there was another in the city that had just appeared like the others, that he wanted. His first commander was the best he knew but most of the time he just got on his nerves. He turned back toward the window before the man could say anything; he already knew what was coming. Errol would have some excuse for not having found the young girl by now and Praxis didn't really want to hear it this time but he listen anyway.

"No, I have men searching the whole city for this one. She will not escape us like the last has done; and I sewer to the precursors that I will find Miss. Maldonado if it kills me." Errol explained to the Baron. The Baron turned back from the window and walked up to his first commander.

"I better have both of them by the end of this week or else it will be you I use for these experiments of yours. The metal head leader grows impatient more every day and we don't want to invoke his anger until the very end when we knew we can beat him, now find those two, or else." The Baron moved past Errol toward the door to the thrown room.

"Yes sir." Errol half said under his breath, his anger was boiling now. He was tired of being treated like shit and if it were up to him he would have already taken the metal head leader out by some other methods. But no the Baron was buying time for some reason, the experiments weren't going as planned so it couldn't have been that. He heard the thrown room doors close and Errol went to the window and looked out over the city, nothing made him more angry then the young Miss. Maldonado. She had been escaping form his grasp ever since she had shown up in the city. Either through beating his men down or escaping the prison and every time she did disappear it would end up being his fault. If there was one thing he wanted the most was her death but that would only come when the war was over. He turned and left the room, his anger fueling his for his search of the city.

XxXxXxXxX

"This place is amazing!" Amber said as she walked back over Jade from one of the trinket stands. She sat next to Jade and admired the necklace she had bought from the old peddler. She then turned to Jade remembering that she had no clue as to where they were heading. "So Jade, we came out here for a reason where are we going?" Amber asked as she placed the necklace around her neck. Jade looked at her and sighed,

"We're going to see an old friend, she might be able to help you get back home. She is an old soothsayer named Onin and we better get going before any guards come looking for you. I have heard of a few others like you that have come to this city and the Baron wants them caught for some odd reason." Jade got up from her spot on the fountain, Amber got up and followed. She remember the night before when Jade had grabbed her by the arm and took off running saving both of their lives.

"So Jade why do you think this Baron guy would want some one like me? I mean I'm not exactly anything material." Amber, put her hands behind her head and looked up at the palace hovered high above the city. Her thoughts went back to home and the beginning of Jak 2, she shuddered at the thought of her self being put through those cure dark eco experiments.

"Well I have no idea and I really would not like to find out." Jade took a turn that caught Amber off guard so that she had to look back down to catch up with the old women. When they were back together Amber took one last glance at the palace and shivered. It was a little before eleven by what Amber could tell, when they reached the tent type hut thing. Amber waited out side while Jade went in, she sat down on and old crate out side and looked up at the sky._ This is all to worried, how can I be here of all places in my life why here? It's not even that important any more and why am I not dead if anything that is one thing I should be._ Amber let her thoughts wonder for a while until Jade came back out to get her.

"Onin says she will see you now," She moved out of the way so that Amber could pass into the tent then was ready to leave. "Now when you are done I want you to meet me back at the fountain." Jade turned to leave when Amber reached her hand out and touched Jade' s shoulder.

"Aren't you going to stay here with me?" Jade looked back at Amber and smiled.

"Child you will be fine, Onin couldn't and wouldn't hurt anything or one. So meet me back at the fountain, trust me nothing is going to happen I promise." Jade turned and went on about her business, leaving Amber at the entrance of the tent. She took a deep breath and pushed the cover away. Amber slipped into the dimly lit tent and looked around at all the artifacts and other things that filled the tent. She made her way to the back of the tent where she found Onin meditating.

"Onin says you may sit child." Amber looked around for the strange voice that had seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at the same time; she half expected something to pop out at her then she looked up at Onin. And sitting there on Onin's head was a beautifully colored bird monkey thing she couldn't really tell. She tried to remember the thing's name from the game but nothing was coming to her, the time she had plain the game was maybe in seventh grade, which technically not even four years ago.

"I am Pecker, Onin's interpreter. Onin says you have many questions that is why you are here no?" Pecker asked and Amber nodded her head not knowing what to think of this all. "Onin say they will all be answered in time but now is not that time. She says many good thing will come of your being here. Things that you couldn't even imagine but first you'll have to go through something that is worst than death it's self. Onin suggest that you should trust the one with true intentions but not all will come off that way trust who you must to learn the truth of your reason." He finished and Amber waited for a moment then Pecker nodded.

"Wait I want to know why I'm here and not dead. None of this makes any sense; if I'm only to trust ones with true intentions then why should I trust anyone to learn the truth. And why would I bring any good to this place?" Amber could hear the panic start to rise in her voice and she pushed it away.

"It is not our place to tell you all, but we can make thing clearer as time passes." Amber nodded in understandment then got up to leave, just before she walked out Pecker called back to her, "Onin says that you shouldn't be afraid of what's going to happen, she says you are a very powerful person and that you of a pure heart." Amber nodded giving the bird monkey a half smile; she was about to leave when she remember what she had wanted to ask. She stepped back in to the tent and went over to Onin leaning in to her ear and whispered her request. She got up a left not waiting for an answer, the soothsayer watch as Amber slipped from the tent back in to the streets.

"It's hard to see that one eh? She has no idea what is going to happen or the fact that she won't ever be able to go home again." Pecker said to the Onin and nodded her agreement still staring at the door.

Amber made her way through the crowd back to the fountain. The crowd had grown quite large for the hour that had past, just then she realized that every one had their attention turned toward the fountain. She squeezed through the crowded street and peered through a gap between two men. In the center of the crowd there was a group of Krimzon guards standing around Jade, Amber held her breath and only watched in horror as they spoke to Jade in harsh tones. Just then Amber heard a voice that she could never forget even if she hadn't plain that game for a thousand year. She watch as a young fiery red haired man stepped out from behind one of the guards and she knew exactly who it was, Errol. The Baron second in command, a ruthless, destructive man, that rarely cared for anything but his own ambitions. Amber knew right then and there that thing's were about to get really bad. She watched helplessly as he walked up to Jade and got real closer to her, Amber couldn't catch what they were saying but it wasn't anything good. Then she watched Jade spit up in to Errol's face, everything felt like it was in slow motion to Amber as the next five seconds went by. Errol raised his hand and Amber watched in horror; she wasn't going to let this happen, she pushed the two men out of the way screaming at him to stop. She reached him and pulled his hand out of the air, things started speeding up to normal.

"Please don't it's not her you want it's me!" Amber shouted as she dragged his hand down. Errol gazed at her wide-eyed then realize that this was the girl he had been searching for. Amber turned back to Jade and threw her arms around her.

"Child what are you doing they'll kill you." Jade whispered into Amber's ear. But she didn't care as long as the old women was okay, "No Jade I couldn't have you risk your life for mine and why would they kill me after spending so much time looking for me?" Amber whispered back then she felt a hand on her shoulder. She got to her feet and turned to face Errol, she held his gaze and for once in her life she didn't feel as scared as she had been known to be.

"Well now aren't you the scrawny one. Oh well you are what the Baron wants and you'll be what he gets." Errol said and placed cuffs around her wrist, "A little young to be out on your own don't you think?" He asked turning away from Amber, her gaze never leaving him.

"Well what do you know? Beating up on the old is a little drastic don't you think? Weren't you ever taught to respect your elders?" Amber couldn't believe what had come out of her mouth at a time like this and turns out neither could Errol. He grabbed Amber by the hair and pulled her into him, his face only a few centimeters away from hers.

"Brave words for some one of your stature. Talk to me like that again and I'll cut out that tongue of yours." He wasn't kidding either by the tone in his voice. But she just couldn't keep her mouth shut she didn't really think he would cut out her tongue anyway, most likely the Baron wanted her in one piece.

"Well can't say anything to that but go a head I ain't got anything else to lose." Amber retorted, Errol did nothing but growl knowing his restraints. He shoved her away towards the guards and they took from around her and started to move. Out side the circle Amber watched people go by watched their faces and then there was a single noise and Amber turned and the guards stopped, including Errol. When Amber turned her face lit up with happiness as she saw Jade get up from the ground and start clapping her hands together. Then all together all around clapping started, the guards looked at Errol not quiet knowing what to do. He turned in a huff and motioned for the guards to follow; as soon as the small group of guards was out of the bazaar the whole place blow up in to a howl of cheers. Amber glanced back at the people and felt a new kind of pride swell inside, she turned back toward the front and followed the guards to a transportation, which they shoved her into with a group of others that they had captured. Amber pushed herself off the floor of the hovercraft and looked out the bars at Errol.

"Not so hot are we, well wait till we get to the palace the Barons got a nice surprise for you." Errol said before tapping the top of the vehicle. Amber tried to stay in a standing position but the momentum of the zoomer was too much and eventually she fell back to the ground rather hard and sat there. She could feel the tears starting to build up in her eye and tried to rub them away but they kept coming, nothing like this had ever happened to her. She was a good person, not the best student but she tried at times, she didn't even go out without parent permission and now she was here,_ what the hell did I do to deserve this._ She looked around at the others and they were all a bunch of big brutes, she curled her knees into her self and set her head down on them. She watched as one of the guys came over and sat next to her, she didn't let it bother her until more started coming over. There was nothing she could do except scream when the men started to touch and harass her. She struggled but the men didn't let up,

"Let go of me you ass wipe!" Amber yelled, as she struggled to get away from them. Just then one of them was knocked away and then another. She didn't know what was going on but she thanked god it was. When she looked up she saw a younger leaner man standing before her, he offered her his hand and Amber willingly took it. He pulled her up to her feet and held her steady as the zoomer glided on word.

"I guess you didn't hear her when she said let go. Now the next one to touch her isn't going to live to see another day." He leaded her toward the front of the zoomer and sat down next to her. "I'm Isaac, so you must have done something great to get all those people to start cheering for you." Amber looked at the young man that now sat next to her, he had short blond hair the hung down in to his face reminding her of Aaron but a little more neater, he had deep blue eyes that she almost could get lost in. She looked down shyly and answered him,

"It wasn't all that great, just helping out a friend is all." Her words were soft and somewhat chocked because of the lump that had formed in her throat from crying. She looked out of the zoomer at the city that sped besides them.

"Your not from around here are you?" He asked and Amber looked back at him somewhat startled by the question, _well what gave you that idea, was it the dark hair and lightening blue eyes or the ear thing again,_ "Hey you don't have to worry as long as you stick with me you'll be okay. I'll take care of you if you'd like and we'll get out of this prison together then maybe we can find your friend again. So how's about that." He was smiling at her and she half smiled back at him, the thing was he didn't know how wrong and right he was and with in the next few hours Amber and Isaac were separated. Isaac was taken to the normal prison ward where as Amber was taken to see the Baron then to a cell. She crawled on to the bunk and balled her eyes out before she fell a sleep. Everything seemed to be working against her until she met another man in the cell next to her, he was a quiet blond haired man that had been going through the experiments for about two years now, he didn't talk much but he seemed to understand her situation better then most and she hadn't even told him that much about herself, but it didn't seem that he cared. He promised that they would get out together and go looking for both of the friends she had made. At the time they didn't know what was going on, on the out side or how soon they would be getting out, but within a few days of that promise they would be freed.


	4. Chapter 4 Meeting Of Heros

Eternity

Disclaimer: I do not own the Jak and Daxter series it is owned by Naughty Dog. the only characters I do own are Max, Kya, Alex, and Amber.

Max801: Ha Ha sorry about the delay in chapters got the NEW Breaking Dawn book and then got sucked into reading it well here's chap. four hope you'll review and enjoy. Finally everyone will meet.

Eternity

Renegade

Chapter four

Meeting of heroes

_What the hell just happened? Where am I wait a minute, Alex, Kya? Was that all just a dream?_ Max opened her eyes. She was staring up at the sky a beautiful blue, there were dark thing surrounding it thou that she couldn't quite make out what the hell it was. She looked to either side of her to find both Kya and Alex, Max rolled herself over and then pushed herself off the ground. She looked around the area and realized that they had landed right in the middle of some city.

"Hey, guys wake up." Max said as she leaned over both of her friends, they both woke with a start and stared up at Max. She smiled and helped them to their feet and they all stood there staring at the city around them.

"What happened? The last thing I remember was … being back at the lab? Where are we now." Kya rubbed her eyes and then put her hand up shading them from the blazing sun up ahead. She knelt over and picked up her bag off the ground and tossed it over her shoulder.

"Yeah no kidding!" Alex agreed, she bent backwards to get the crick out of her back then took a careful survey of their surroundings. Her bag lie next to her feet but she didn't bother to pick it up, not wanting to put any strain on her back until she knew it was alright.

"Oh Toto I do believe we're not in Kansas any more." Max said with a smile then looked at the strange buildings and the rugged streets, people started to gather around them. Max watched them and they watched her back, the strange thing was they had Elvin ears long and pointed at the end. She tapped Alex on the shoulder and nodded toward the group, Alex looked and Kya followed their gaze.

"It's highly unlikely that we're even on earth anymore. Max, we should probably find some where to stay I don't like being out in the open like this. Not to mention the people around here are starting to make me nervous." Max nodded her agreement and picked up the remaining bags that were left on the ground. Kya took a few of them from her and they were just about to start off when they were stopped by a group of tall men in red armor. Max pushed her way in front of her friends as a red haired man stepped into sight.

"And just where is it you think you are going?" The man asked pushing Max back as she tried to move past him. She glanced back at her friends then glared at the man that stood in front of her.

"What dose it matter where we go?" Max asked holding her ground steadily. The man move closer to intimidate the young girl but then realize that there was no fear in her eyes and that she wasn't backing down from him; this angered the man.

"Because by the order of his grand Ruler Baron Praxis you are all wanted for imprisonment." Max still didn't back down but she could feel the tension building between them and it excited her. "Now if you want we can do this the easy way or the hard, it truly is your choice." The man said trying to calm himself, Max smiled and placed her hand up to her chin to make it look like she was actually thinking about the option.

"Got one question for you, what's the difference between the two?" Max asked sarcastically, Alex and Kya had already grabbed the other bags from her and started to back away realizing what Max was up to even before she had thought it up her self.

"The easy way is that you and your friends come with us without any fuss and maybe we'll treat you a little better, but that is highly unlikely, the hard way is the you don't and we have to make you with force." The man explained, Max nodded her head and brushed the hairs out of her face. She looked back at Alex and Kya who were now at a safe distance, they both nodded their heads in sync and Max turned back to facing the group of guards.

"Max if you are going to do this make sure you beat them all done before leaving. Remember the last time you did this Eric almost stabbed you." Alex yelled to Max, Max waved her hand back to the two girls letting them know that every thing was going to be okay in her books.

XxXxXxXxX

"Hey Isaac come look at this." A voice called to another or the mummer of the crowd that started to gather.

"What is it?" Isaac came over to where he could see what was going on. In the center of the crowd stood a young alburn haired girl and a group of guards and at their head was the Barons second in command, Errol. Isaac raised an eyebrow with some interest.

"They're going to duke it out should we stay and watch?" The man asked, looking at Isaac and saw the interest that had caught his comrade's eye. "Right then I guess we'll be staying." He turned back to the center of the crowd.

"I bet the girl kicks all their asses." Isaac said in a betting way, the man in front of him looked back at him with a smile across his face.

"You're on." They both watched as a fight broke out in the middle of the street, causing people to shout and place bets. Two man had already gone down at the hand of the girl making the crowd serge even more.

"I seriously can't believe you are willing to take us all on at once do you really have a death wish?" Errol shouted, the anger starting to show in his voice made Max all the more excited. She threw her arm out and placed her hand flat in the air, palm facing up ward to the sky. She brought her fingers in a couple times, literally saying bring it on to the red haired man.

"Oh by the way I never did get your name. Mines Max and I'm willing to bet I can take down all your men and you in say…um…about five minutes." The crowd grew silent at that very moment, no one had ever talked to Errol in that way, he was one of the worst men in the Krimson Guard, and almost everyone in the city was afraid of his. Out of his anger Errol motioned for the rest of the men to attack. They went charging at Max in a blind fury, she turned her back to them out of pure confidence. She stood there for a split second and then back flipped over the first two guards landing on her hands and shoving her feet into their backs knocking them to the ground. She flipped back up landing on her feet, she then jumped up wheel kicking another guard a crossed his face causing his face shield to shatter. She turned quickly toward the rest and pulled out the nine millimeters she had grabbed out of her fathers gun rack. She held them toward the guards who had stopped in their tracks.

"Damn she defiantly good, but let's see how she fairs against Errol. Maybe she'll put a dent in his rep. and the Shadow might just be interested in someone like her." Isaac said, the crowd was starting to grow again as things started to get more interesting. No one had ever stood up to Errol and the people were starting to gain some hope back as the young girl kept the guns pointed at the remaining guards.

"Okay any of you make a move I don't like and I'll make sure that none of you can ever procreate again." Max looked down the man and each of them froze as her gaze hit their lower half. She slanted the two guns she had down ward to intimidate the guards a little more and a smiled formed a crossed her face.

"Very nice, you took down the best squad we have to offer. And this is only your first offence." Errol walked toward her clapping his hands together. Max moved one of the guns away from the guards and pointed it toward Errol, he stopped and held up his hands not wanting to draw any unwanted violence. "I am very impressed. So I will give you a chance to fight me. If you win I will let you and you friends go. But on the other hand if you lose you will all be taken in as my prisoners. Do we have a deal?" Errol asked, looking Max up and down. She glared at him then thought about it for a moment, _nothing like a good challenge, but then again I have to think about Alex and Kya. I don't think I have much of a choice thou and god knows that this guy is crazy and is lying about letting us go so…_

"I've got one thing to request before we start this little shindig, you are to leave my friends out of this. If I lose you get me and if I win you get me but them you leave alone. And if I find out you can't keep that promise I sewer to god that I'll hunt you down and ripe off your head then shit down the hole, got that." Max said and glanced back at her friends they both wore the same desperate expressions. She nodded slightly trying to tell them that everything was going to be okay but they did take to the plan very well.

"Fine we will leave your friends out of it." Errol said. He then told the men to back down. "Now through away your weapons and I will mine."

"You first!" Max demanded. She watched him pull out his weapon and through it to the side. Then she lowered hers in to their holsters then unlatched them and throw them to Alex. They both went into separate fighting stances and prepared them selves, Errol shifted his neck from side to side trying to make things a little more intimidating for Max, but she only raised and eyebrow and smiled back at him. The crowd around them sighed in anticipation and waited in silence for the fight to begin.

"Alex we can't just let Max do this we have to do something." Kya whispered in to Alex's ear, then looked back at Max who was about to give her life for theirs'.

"Hey don't worry Max will win." Alex tried to reassure Kya but they had both heard the deal Max had made and even if she were to win she'd still be going to prison, she watched as the fight began and the crowd went wild. The two girls didn't even notice as the crowd was bunching in around them, their attention draw to Max and Errol.

"But even if she wins, Max is going to prison anyway." Kya's gaze never left Max as she spoke those words, Alex looked at her friend and realized that things were going all wrong and that all she wanted was to go home and forget any of this ever happen.

They were pretty much both evenly matched. Blow for blow in till it came right down to it Errol was warring out. This was one of Max's defenses; she had been trained for endurance fighting rather than deadly attacking. It was one of the best fighting styles in the world, nonetheless Max was very agile and a fast mover all together and so far she had never been beaten and was a world champ in every sparring competition she'd been in. Max back flipped straight off the ground to get out of the way of one of Errol's punches and landed on her hands. Her legs were up in the air for a moment before impaling Errol in the chest sending him reeling back holding the spot that had made contact. Max landed in a kneeling position and raised up to standing.

"Getting tired are we? I could keep this up all day if I have to. But sadly I really don't think you could." Max said before knocking Errol to the ground with a powerful hook. Max raised her arms to the crowd and the people cheered, now this was a change of sprits the people had never had a hero. She turned back to Errol, he rubbed the blood away from his mouth and spat some out on the ground. Max gave her hand to him offering to lift him up in good sportsmanship. Kya saw the gun that he held before any one else and tried to push her way through the crowd screaming at Max. Max turned at the sound of Kya's voice, she searched the crowd for her to friend but couldn't find them.

"Max…mmmmmm." Kya tired to yell again but some ones hand had clamped down on her mouth. She looked over at Alex and noticed the same had been done to her. She tried to fight back against the capture behind her but it was no use both she and Alex were dragged away from the crowd. Kya shot a glance back at Max; she was still frantically searching the crowd for them.

Max looked over the crowd but didn't see Kya or Alex anywhere; she turned around in circles searching the crowd but still nothing then she realize she had made a vital mistake

"Well it seems there is one weakness to you." Errol's voice sounded to the side of Max. She felt the coolness of the gun being pointed at her temple. _It's not worth it, Alex and Kya are safe somewhere_, she thought. Slowly she raised he hands and put them behind her head. "That's a good little girl. Now as for your friends; I lied we're going to find them too." Errol pulled her hands back behind her and cuffed them. The crowd started to howl in anger but no one did anything to stop what was going on, to afraid of what might happen to themselves. Most of the crowd started to disband and soon the street was back to normal, every once and a while some one would stop to watch as Errol barked out orders.

"You bastard you said you wouldn't touch them." Max yelled, Errol passed her off to one of the other guards and she started throwing herself around to break free to the man's grasp. Errol gave an order to the other men that were now picking themselves up from the ground.

"I want you to search this whole city, those girls are not to get away. Now fan out and start the search! As for you my darling," Errol turned back to the guard that had Max. "Take her back to the palace, the Baron will figure out what to do with her from there," Errol grabbed the bottom of Max's chain and brought his face in real close to hers. "I suppose we'll have to finish this a little later and trust me we will finish this." Max pulled her face away from his grip turned back to him and spat in his face. Errol jerk away in a blind fury, but he contained his anger and wiped the spit from his face.

"Don't worry about me forgetting, because I'll be waiting for the next time we fight. And the next time we do I'm going to kill you." Max let her anger vent out as Errol motioned for the guard to take her away. She didn't go easily either, the guard finally throw her in to the back of a transporter and before the guard could get the door closed her rammed it with her shoulder shoving the guard back. She jumped out of the back of the transport but several guards jumped on her before she could make it to far. She was thrown back into the transport so that she landed on her side and couldn't get her self back up. She squirmed around for a while until she felt the transporter jerk to life and take off. Her thoughts whirled and land on Alex and Kya, now that she was gone they'd have to strive on their own, Max looked out at the city that flew past her and prayed to god that they'd be okay.

XxXxXxXxX

"Where are you taking us?" Alex demanded. She walked in front of Kya to protect her form any harm the two men that had taken them could cause. They were being lead down a back ally way in the unfamiliar city.

"Some where safe. They'll come looking for you. And by the way you look you won't stand much of a chance trying to hid yourselves. Not with out your friend at least." One of the men answered. Kya walked up a head of Alex and over to the man. She grabbed his shoulder and turned him around stopping the group from walking any further.

"Who are you? And why were you watching us?" She asked abruptly. Alex was amazed at Kya's courage; she had never seen her act this way. Normally Kya was the shy quiet one who always knew what the right thing to say was and who cared about every one. But know there was a stern look on her face, one that showed no fear, Alex admired her for a moment and then listened in. The man seemed taken aback by the girls' newly found bravery, he ran his hand through his short blond hair and study the girl for a moment.

"I'm Isaac, and I work for a group known as the Under Ground. We wage war against Baron Praxis. That man you saw fighting with your friend; that was Errol his right hand man. If you guys ever want to see you friend again you're going to need our help. The Shadow, leader of the under ground resistance can help you if you help us." Isaac explained to them. Kya looked back at Alex the look in her eyes told Alex that Isaac was most likely right, Alex nodded her head in approval. Kya looked back at Isaac, then thought of what Max would do, she shook her head to him and they walked on.

XxXxXxXxX

"Let me go!" Max jerked her arm away from Errol and tried to ran, but didn't get far. The Palace was huge both inside and out, she didn't know where she would run to even if she did get away. She hit the floor when Errol hooked her foot with his; she turned over to look up at him. She could feel the burning sensation on her chin where she had gotten rug burn from the floor.

"What's the point in even trying that? You know there's no where to run." Errol grabbed her up again and led her down the hallway to a set of huge door. She struggled the whole way tiring to make it as hard as possible for Errol to control her. Knocking in to thing and people, tiring her luck at pushing him over and running but nothing seemed to work, if she could only use her hands but they were cuffed behind her.

"Piss off!" She yelled as they went through the doors. She tired to run again but only got shoved to the floor, she was held down by Errol's foot and as she struggled she realized that they were on a narrow strip of flooring and to either side of her she could see the city below. She struggled a bit more before giving up and relaxing herself enough for Errol to let her lift her head off the ground. She looked around the huge room and only found what she had expected from a normal ruler. She looked up at the long stair way and to the thrown where Baron Praxis stood.

"Sir I have brought the girl you requested. She put up an unexpected fight, but we finally got her here." Errol said, he bowed and then pushed Max back down to the ground into a bow too. She pushed her self back up when she felt Errol's foot move from her back. If anything she didn't like being treated like a lesser, Max watched the Baron closely as he strolled down the stairs toward her.

"So, you are the one I was warned about. You don't look to much like a threat or anything I could possibly use." He grabbed her chin and turned her face from side to side inspecting her features also irritating the red stop she had gained from the rugs. He let her go when she pulled away then turned to Errol, "Now where are the other two that we were told of?" he questioned his commander.

"I have search teams out looking as we speak. They had slipped away while we were fighting. But they can't be to hard to find, they don't know the city yet." Errol answered, the Baron turned back to Max, she was shacking her head laughing to her self.

"Shows you what you know. They're a lot smarter then you think." Max said grinning up at Praxis, he turned in discuss and pointed his finger at Errol in anger. Max was still on her knees smiling at the two, she knew how to piss people off and enjoyed watching the out come of her words.

"Errol if you can't find them it will be your head now leave. I want to talk to this one alone. Wait out side until I call you back." The Baron order then turned from Errol. He took one last look at the smile on Max's face and left them alone, his anger showing in the way he walked as he left. Max laughed and then yawned getting board and tired of what was going on.

"I'd be careful with him, he doesn't suit the roll of one that's going to take order for to long. So who the fuck knew we were coming and why the hell do you have such an interest in us?" Max asked casually looking up at the man. Half his face was missing and had been replaced with metal plating, a graying auburn beard sprouted around his mouth, giving him an oddly regal profile. He wore shining silver armor and a sword hung from his belt. Swathes of red cloth wrapped elaborately about his body, framing a silver abdominal plate depicting a half skull over a sword. He walked around her before daring to answer his question,

"All for the good of the city my dear. You see we have been at war with the metal head for so long that the people of the city live their lives in constant fear. And I have gained the knowledge of how to beat that fear and the Metal heads. All with a simple experiment, but the few subjects that have been tested on have all died. That's when I was informed of your arrival and the arrivals of two others, I was told that all of you were different and that any of you might be able to last through the experiments; so you see my dilemma." Max stared at the man that stood before her in complete aw. He smiled at the sight of her face and took another walk around her.

"You are one sick cookie." Max hissed below her breath, "How can you even call yourself human?" She pulled away as he reached down to touch her face. She couldn't believe what she had gotten her and her friends into and just hoped that Alex and Kya could stay hidden long enough for this psycho to get over what ever it was he wanted to do to them.

"It's all for the good of the city I ensure you. What are a few shitty lives for the lives of millions." He whispered to her, Max's anger was boiling over now. Praxis called Errol back in to the room, Max was just staring at the ground when she felt herself being lifted to her feet and as soon as she was there she exploded. She ran at the Baron full force throwing her self in to him, knocking both of them to the floor. Errol called for more guards before aiding the Baron and taking control of Max. She literally threw herself around on the narrow walkway trying to get away and attack the Baron again. Errol had two guards take hold of her before finishing the conversation with Baron Praxis.

"Errol I want those girls found, but for know you can do with her what you want, just leave her alive afterward." The Baron said wiping the sweat away from his fore head. Errol grabbed Max and pulled her away towards the large doors.

"I swear either of you lay a hand on either of my friends and there will be hell to pay!" Max yelled venting the rest of her anger as she was pulled from the room. Errol tried to lead her down the hall but she wouldn't make it any easier for him, he shoved her in to another room. The room was hot and stifling, Max could barley catch a breath let alone keep up her struggle but she didn't give up. Errol had loosened his grip but before she could get way a large man push her into the chair in the middle of the room. Errol walked over and un-cuffed her then the larger man took over; he place her arms to the arms of the chair and strapped them down. Max struggled to get out of the chair but it was a loosing battle and she fell silent. She looked around the room noticing on the wall branding irons and a large stove in the corner, her eyes widen as she realized what was going on. Errol took great pleasure in watching her struggle to get out of the chair when she realized what was going to happen, there wouldn't be much fun in just locking this one away no she had tried to defy him and was one of the few that had been able to beat him so he would mark her for life.

Max's eyes widen as she watched in horror, she looked to Errol and saw the glint in his eyes. He was enjoying him self, she turned back to the big man and finally got a better look at him. He was bald, he had a bread and mustache, and one of his eyes was glazed over causing blindness. He was the strangest man Max had ever seen, he pulled out one of the rods form the stove, Max struggled hard to get away but there was nothing she could do she swallowed hard. The man pushed the rod into the flesh of her uncovered arm and she yelled out in pain, the smell of burning flesh filled her nostrils; she struggled to get away from the pain. Her hand were clenched tight and her nails were dug into the wood of the chair, then the rod was pulled off her arm, in it place there was the number six permanently placed onto her arm. It was done another four more time before it was over with, the final number came out to be 69741. Max looked at it then thought back to the box, tombstone sight, and the final inscription code. They were all the same, but what was so important about that number and how was it possible that it'd show up in so many ways? Errol came over and inspected the branding before pulling Max out of the chair to lead her on again.

XxXxXxXxX

Two years later!

Alarms went off all over the prison as Max ran down the halls past prison cells filled with others that had been locked up for so long. She didn't have the time to think let alone let them all out, no she was only buying time for a friend she had made on the out side to get his friend out. She stopped when she came to a fork in the hallway, she pause only long enough to hear shouting coming from either side of the hall. She frantically search for somewhere to hide and notice on the wall there was an air duck. She hurried toward it and squeezed in moments before guards went running past. She waited a few moments before crawling away, she had no idea where the vent lead until she slipped and started siding downward toward an opening in the vent. Max braced her hands against the sides of the vent along with her feet to stop her self from crashing out of the vent. She caught herself and held herself steady then peered out of the vent. She was back in the very room they had locked her in so many times before, it was the experiment room, in the center was a platform that had the injection devise rising above it, she had never gone anywhere near it because every time she had been scheduled for the eco treatment she had escaped somehow. Half the time she didn't even know how she had escaped she just had and it pissed Errol off to no end, just then she heard voices coming from below and she peered out again. Both Baron Praxis and Errol were standing over the table that was under the device and a wave of anger and rage rushed over her but she kept herself where she was.

She watched as the two of them disappeared through a pair of automatic doors at the other end of the room before trying to turn her self around in the air vent and started to crawl back up the way she had dropped from. Just as she was about half way to another run of vent above her, her footing slipped and she fell down through the vent smashing into the vents grating. She moaned and struggled to rub her tail bone but the movement caused the grating to come lose; with a yelp and a loud crash she was finally out of the vent and on the floor. Max froze and waited for a second; when no one came running she got up off the floor and started rubbing her tail bone again from the fall. She looked around the room then over to the table at it's center a young man lie there as if he were dead and she wonder if he was. Her gaze was then caught by something flashing, slowly and cautiously she made her way out on to the platform. She walked around the boy taking in his feature when it came to her, she had seen this boy before but…she didn't even get to finish the thought when she heard something and ducked on to the lower platform. She peered over the ledge and saw a flash of orange jump up on to the table she was about to jump up as she recognized the orange but when the man on the table jerked up she ducked back down to watch for a moment.

"I'm going to kill Praxis!" she heard him shout before falling back to the table. The man was starting to go nuts or something then she noticed an orange rodent now jumped of the table and was standing to the side on the floor. Before Max could catch the rodents' attention the man on the table burst from the bond that held him down. He move from the table with a different appearance his skin had paled, long claws were in place of his nail and his eyes were as dark as pitch, he was getting ready to attack the rodent when Max yelled out.

"Daxter move." She shouted and the man turned on her, she slowly backed away as he started for her; the orange rodent looked at her as well. Max had forgotten all about being out on a platform in the middle of an empty space and fell over the edge. Both she and the orange rodent screamed out of fear. Max closed her eyes knowing death was going to come to her and how stupid she had been for shouting. But after a moment she felt her wrist being caught and then she was being pulled back up toward the platform. She opened her eyes and looked up in to the eyes of the young boy again. He had snapped out of his fit and caught her before she had fallen to far out of reach. He set her down on the floor and she fell to her knees kissing the ground but not really, she then noticed a foot being tapped in front of her. She looked up to see Daxter's orange mug face looking down at her.

"I thought you were going to keep the guards busy. What the hell are you doing here?" He asked throwing his arms up in to the air. Max pulled her self back together and got up off the floor.

"Well I was distracting the guards but then I got cornered. So I crawled in to an air vent which lead here of all places on the god damn map. You think I would have known where the vent lead considering I've crawled out of it before but hey what do you know right anyway, when I tried to go back the way I had come I sorta' slipped. You got a problem with that?" she glared at the rodent and he held her glared and with out warning they both burst out into a fit of laughter, when they finally chilled out Max looked at the half blond half green haired, blue eyed man that stood before her, "So this is the infamous Jak I've heard so much about You know Daxter rants about you all the time…" Max stood with her hips and head tilted and her right had on her hip, the blonde half smiled with a confused look across his face but then brought his hand up to the back of his head sort of like he was embarrassed. Max smiled pleased to see the reaction she wanted and before he could say anything she shot him down, "It's really annoying." she said grinning as his features went back to solemn. Daxter rolled his eyes at Max, she had to have been one of the must put down people he had ever met besides old greenie.

"Right and how do you two know each other? And what do you mean by you've crawled out of the vent?" the man asked as he shook Max's comment off, and started pulling on the clothing Daxter had brought for him. Max and Daxter shot each other looks and laughed at the thought of how they had met and what they had been through up until this point.

"Really long story," Max started not wanting to go anywhere near that story and she was in turn saved by the alarms as they went off. They each looked up as if to find the source to the alarm, "Well shit! Time to bag ass out of here boys!" Max shouted over the alarm. Both Jak and Max ran a crossed the walkway to the main room, just before they could make it to the stack of crates that lead to an opening out, Jak froze instantly remembering the promise he had made.

"Wait we can't leave yet!" Jak yelled, Max turned to look at him and even Daxter cocked an eyebrow at that. He started searching through the cells in the room, Max watched him confusedly.

"Are you CRAZY we don't have time for this!" Max yelled but got no answer and then followed after him, "What are you doing? We don't have time to let everyone out of their cells." Max shouted from behind him, but Jak didn't pay any attention to her. He soon came to one of the last cells and stopped. He stared inside and smiled at what he had found.

"Max is right we don't have time for this, Jak what is it buddy?" Daxter repeated from his shoulder, he peered in the cell they were at and saw a young girl standing at the door. Max came to join them annyoned at the fact they had stopped for a single person. But when she looked in the cell she changed her mind when she realized that the girl wasn't elvin like the rest of the people in the city. Jak tried the door but it didn't budge, he looked at Max for help but she backed off not really wanting any other part of the break out.

"Come on I made a promise to her." Jak shouted,

"Look yeah that was your promise not mine. I already did my duty here and really don't wish to be put back in to one of these cells for like the five hundredth time." Max said crossing her arms over her chest, just then she looked at Daxter and his big sad eye, "Really Daxter I don't even know why I bother setting rules." Max shook her head and walked over to the cell examining the way it was set up. She pushed Jak out of the way and faced the keypad; in a single flowing move she brought the heel of her foot down on it. It exploded and she backed away as the cell door slowly slid open. The young girl from inside ran out and threw her arms around Jak's neck. Max shook her head realizing the alarms had gone off, she looked around the room but everything was silent and she didn't like it.

"Alright we really don't have time for this." She said and headed back for the crates, Jak nodded and grabbed the girl by the arm pulling her after Max. They climbed up the crates and went through the doorway at the top. In the next room they ran down a hallway and climbed a few more crates. Jak jumped up to the ledge and turned to Max then they both turned to help the young girl up. They ran into the next room where they found a series of mechanized platforms. Max looked at them and spun around trying to think of what to do next.

"They don't exactly make thing easy for us do they?" Jak said, the young girl stood next to him, she looked around and out of the corner of her eye she caught a dark shape flash by. Jak also saw the dark shape and realized that it was Max; she had backed up far enough and ran to the edge flipping or on to her hands then launching her self through the air landing on the platform in a crouching position. He stood there staring at her; she turned back to them,

"Come on it's not that hard, I've done this before! Trust me!" Max yelled to him. Jak stood there a moment before deciding what to do; he pulled the young girl on to his back.

"Wrap your legs around me and hold on tight." He instructed and she nodded her head doing as he had said, then laid her head on his back and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Come on! If we get caught, that will be the end." Max shouted again. Jak backed up to the wall, and then he ran toward the platform. He jumped into the air, the young girl leaned her head into his back keeping her eyes closed, and they landed on the first platform. Max leapt to the next platform, followed closely by Jak. They jumped off the last platform and climbed up the next ledge. At the top stood a Krimzon Guard, Jak put the girl down and ready himself for a fight.

"Put your hands together." Max yelled at Jak as the Krimzon Guard turned his attention toward the group. The guard started running toward them and Jak did as he had been told. Max ran toward him; she lifted a leg and pushed off his hands launching her self in to the air. She twisted mid way up and came down on the guard. Her foot landed dead center on the Krimzon Guard's head causing him to topple over. She then spun around just as the guard got back into a standing position she back kicked him over to Jak. Jak put his arm out as the guard ran in to it flipping up and landing back down on the ground. Jak was more than amazed at Max's abilities but now wasn't the time to talk things through. They continued along and hopped a crossed another mechanized platform and onto the platform beyond. On the other side a pole stuck out of the wall. Jak jumped to it; did a flip over it and landed on the ledge above. Max followed him with easy, they turned back to see that the young girl had followed both of them with no trouble, Max cocked an eyebrow and Jak just smiled at the girl. They ran over to another mechanical platform; but this time it was moving. They all jumped over to it at the same time and then jumped off together too. On the other side there were two Krimzon Guards; after Jak and Max were done beating them down they moved on. They jumped a crossed a few holes and then they came to an empty room.

"Come on we're almost out of here." Max said as she took a step forward. Just then a gun was fired off, Jak grabbed Max's arm and pulled her away form the room. She fell to the ground from tripping over her own feet and looked back at the room, "Well that's new." Max steady herself and got back to her feet.

"You all right?" Jak asked staring at the room. Max stood next to him studying any possible route through the room with out getting shot by anyone. "I think it came form down below the floor." Jak said, "There isn't going to be an easy way of getting through here. Wait Daxter, I want you to go with Max and Amber," Jak started,

"What, where are you going?" Daxter asked jumping from Jak's shoulder to Max's. Max crossed her arms over her chest as Jak finished explaining his plan.

"Okay here's what's going to happen. When I say go Max, you're going to take Amber and run for it while I distract the guards. It's the only way we're going to get through there some what alive." Max shifted her eyes but then nodded her head in agreement, Amber looked terrified but agreed as well the only one that didn't was Daxter who tried to protest but Max shut him up. Max and Amber readied themselves for the dash as Jak counted on his fingers to three and then shouted for them to go; Max grabbed Amber's arm and pulled her forward through the narrow hall. Jak jumped in to the hall and started dogging bullets to give the girls enough time to get away. Things started to get bad and Jak made a run for it as soon as he heard Max call from the other side. When at the other end of the hall he and Max broke through a grate in the floor and jumped through, Max went up a head to check things out while Jak turned back around to help Amber down. He raised his hands u to her and she placed hers in his then slid forward down into him. Her feet hit the floor and she looked at Jak, he smiled at her, "So what do you think of this Max character?" he asked, Amber was silent for a moment then spoke up,

"Daxter seems to trust her and she's a really good fighter." Jak nodded then lead the way to where Max had gone. They meet back up with Max, who stood at a turn in the hall, she and Jak peered around to find to guards on duty at the next door. They pulled back around the corner.

"Oh great now what are we going to do?" Daxter asked. Max smiled already knowing what she wanted to do. Jak shook his head to both of them. Amber looked around the corner while the others were thinking of their options, she realized it wasn't set up like in her game but noticed another door not to far off from where one the guards was standing at. She remember back to when she had first come to the prison, the door were motion activated. She pulled the rubber band out of her hair and smiled, she stretched it out then let it go causing it to fly through the air toward door, as it flow by the sensor the door slid open. Both guards were caught off guard and went to investigate what had caused the door to open, Amber smiled when her plan worked she turned around to the other and grabbed them pulling them around the corner. They snuck past the door the guards had gone through and to the door they needed, they paused inside the door.

"Damn that was ingenious, where the hell you get an idea like that." Max asked Amber as Jak looked around the room. Amber shrugged her shoulders, she didn't really feel like telling the girl she had pulled the idea out of her ass. Jak came back over to them after inspecting the room.

"We should be safe in here for a little while, it'll take a few to get the gate off the exit quiet enough so that no one will hear. So we'll be here for a while." Jak said going back over to the gate to work it out of place. Amber slipped over to a crate and sat down on it pulling her knees in to her and wrapping her arms around them. Max stood over Jak and watched for a moment then turned back to Amber.

"So if you were in that room of the prison and the only other girl then myself on the roster then that makes you Amber huh?" Max asked, Amber's head came up off her knees as she looked at Max. _That's more then a little creepy that a girl I don't even know knows my name._

"Roster what roster?" She asked, looking Max over then looking over at Jak. Jak half listened to the two but kept his focus on the gate, although the topic of a roster aroused his attention.

"Oh come on the dark eco program the whole reason why you were locked up in the first place. You can't tell me that you didn't know that" Amber looked down she had only been in the prison for a few months and nothing had ever seemed right about the place and she had guessed something like that form memories of the game but they were only fragment since it had been so long ago and she wasn't into that stuff so much anymore. Max looked at her and saw the deep remorse that flashed in her eyes, which gave her just about every thing she wanted to know. "Well then I guess you can, not that it's any of your fault considering you only arrived in this world about three months ago right?" Max said making Amber feel even more uncomfortable then she already did.

"How do you know that?" Amber asked disbelieving that the girl could know so much. But Max only laughed at the question, "Like I said there's a roster for everyone included in the dark eco program including you and Jak over there. It's got all kinds of information on it like the times the seven of use all showed up and where we were all found." Max said and it confused Amber even more but know Max even had Jak's attention.

"What do you mean by seven and where the hell did you get all this information? Who the hell are you?" Jak asked threateningly but Max only laughed as he stood from the grating. They were completely oblivious to the fact that some new they were all coming here.

"I've been around the block a few time seen some things I probably shouldn't have, dose that mean you aren't going to trust me?" Max said with no emotion at all, held her gaze although it was most unsettling how calm, cool, and calculating it was but her eye's had to have been the most beautiful thing he had seen since arriving in this grueling place, "Fine, but trusting you fully will be the last thing on my mind." Jak responded before going back to work, "Whatever." Max said and all was silent for the time being.

"Wait a minute did you just say they knew we were coming and where'd we'd be when we got here?" Amber asked thinking about it really hard. "How is that even possible?" Max looked at her and shook her head "You got me on that." Jak glanced back up and it was if they were all thinking the same thing at that very moment, _how is any of this even possible?_

"Got it." Jak announced twenty minute from behind Max and she turned around to see that Jak had gotten the gate off their exit. He smiled at them both and helped each one down before going down his self, he replaced the gate then they started off following the narrow passage of the drain system. Max was in the lead because she had already done this so many times in the past. They came out into a larger part of the room and took a look around, Max pointed up to a door and they made their way up the steps to it. Max jumped to the street below first, followed by Jak, and last Amber, when they were all safely on the ground Daxter decide to speak up. "We're free guys! Nice to breath some fresh air hey! We'll get that Baron Praxis guy!" Daxter said.

"At least for the moment," Max paused and said so that the moment was ruined for them all, "Wow this city gets worst every time I see it." She put her hands behind her head and started to walk down the cold and unfriendly streets of Haven city, Jak followed and before Amber could follow she looked back at the prison wondering about the young man she had meet before ever getting to the prison. Jak called back to her and she pushed the thoughts away and ran after them. As soon as they rounded the corner an old man and his young companion confronted them. They were stopped and the old man started to talk to them.

"Hello strangers, my name is Kor. May I help you…?" The old man said as he pushed in front of Jak. Max stood back staring at the man and Amber stood at her side. Daxter had jumped off Jak's shoulder and was standing by the young boy that was with the older man.

"You look like a reasonably smart man. I want information! Where the hell are we," Jak asked throwing his hand toward the buildings of the city. Max shook her head thinking she could have told him that but it was already too late. Kor backed down a bit but answered the question just the same.

"Ahh… sorry. He's new to the whole conversation thing." Daxter said to the young boy, Amber smiled at the young boy when he looked up for reassurance and she felt as if she recognized the boy from somewhere. "Jak chill!" Max said as she pulled on his arm, he glanced at her and nodded slightly. Then stood back and crossed his arms over his chest, Max stood next to him and Amber came to join them both, she looked around hesitantly.

"Well my angry young friend, you are a guest of his "Majesty" Baron Praxis the ruler of "Glorious" Haven city." Kor said to them answering Jak's question. All of them looked around at the streets and the people, it wasn't exactly one of Haven's best days. People moved around them as if not even noticing them, the sky was cloud over with gray, and there was something in the air that just seemed to drag everyone and thing down with it.

"We were just "guests" in the good Barons prison." Jak told Kor. Kor looked at them in surprise then nodded as if half expecting it would turn out that way. "Inside a cell, or inside the city… walls surround us both. We are all his prisoners." Just as he finished they all noticed a group of guards coming their way, "Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I'd move on if I were you." Kor said pushing the young boy away, but before he could give them any more information; the Barons Krimzon Guards confronted them.

"By order of his immense, the grand protector of Haven city, Baron Praxis; everyone in this section is under arrest, for suspicion of harboring underground refugees. Surrender and die!" one of the KG said a loud, Max cocked an eyebrow and a smirk crossed over the features of her face. Jak slid in front of Amber protecting her from any harm and she grabbed Daxter off of Jak's shoulder backing away with the old man and young boy. Daxter jumped down and out of Amber's grasp walking up to the KG.

"Ahh, excuse me sir, don't you mean surrender or die!" Daxter shouted out, pointing out a good point.

"Not in this city! Protect us from these guards, and I'll introduce you to someone who can help you!" Kor said as he pushed the kid even further away. Jak and Max both turned to the guards. Both of them took out a few guards before something weird happened. Jak all of a sudden started to pale again and the creature that Max had seen back in the prison was let lose, the creature took out the rest of the guards as Max just backed away. When all the guards were gone the creature started to fade from Jak and he went back to normal.

"That was cool! Do it again." Daxter said as he and Amber walked back over to Jak. Amber put her hand on Jak's shoulder already knowing half of what was going on. "Something happening to me… something he did… I can't… control it!" Jak said as he looked up at them. He was shacking violently as he calmed him self down, Max walked back over half expecting Jak to go dark again.

"Very impressive." Kor said, he and the kid came back from where they had hidden themselves. "What you just did was very brave. This child is very important." Kor told them. They all looked down at the kid, Amber knelt down to get a better looked at the kid while Jak, Max and Kor finished their conversation.

"That's it now I remember where I've seen you before!" Amber shouted before anyone else could get anything out. She looked back at the others and they were all giving her weird hard stares making her feel unease but the one that bothered her the most was from Kor who now she recognized from the Jak and Daxter games she used to play when she was still into that kind of thing. She wanted to just blurt out the fact that the old man they saw before them was in fact the big bad guy but something at the back of her mind kept her from doing so. But it did remind her that some things were different in her self and Mad being there, it was a just to confusing at the moment so she kind of ducted her head and let the others finish with out another word from her.

"This kid? He looks kinda… scruffy." Daxter said, pointing at the kid. The kid put his hands up a ducked away from Daxter. Just then another guard showed up but this time there was no threat. "You are in a restricted zone, more a long." Was all the guard said, then left. Amber looked up from the kid and Daxter climbed back up to Jak's shoulder.

"Thank you for your help, but I must get this boy to safety." Kor stuttered, starting to push the kid away again. "Hey what about us?" Daxter yelled to him. "There is an underground group wagging war against Baron Praxis. It's leader the Shadow, could use fighters like you! Go to the slum; find a dead end alley near the city wall. Ask for Torn, he can help you." Kor said as he walked away with the young boy, Amber watched with contempt as they just let them go but she was the only one that knew and she wasn't sure if it was even okay to change anything that happen in this world,_ if you can even call it that and hasn't it changed because of Max and I anyway_. She was too confused and let things rest and at the time the boy was safe for now. Jak and Max looked at each other and Max watched as the boy and Kor vanished down the street.

"I don't like that old man," Max spoke what she was thinking aloud then looked at Jak who had a brow raised, "What I just don't creepy old guys," Jak nodded and Amber smiled knowing the feeling then they started down the street again, "So anyway what the hell was that and please tell me that only happens when you really get pissed off." Max said referring to the incident with the guards. Jak looked over at her and stopped, Max stopped a few feet in front and turned back to him. But it wasn't Jak that spoke up no it was Amber.

"It's the effects of the dark eco injections," Both Max and Jak stared at her in surprise and Amber bite her bottom lip, "It can't be helped, dark eco is powered by the anger of the person it's injected in to. Most of the time it has weird side effects as seen or just immediately kills the person. I can tell you that Jak's the only one to ever come out of it alive. They said if the injections didn't work on Jak that I was supposed to be used next but since the baron didn't agree with having a girl so young go through the process and they were getting such results out of Jak they opted to wait on using me." She looked down to the ground when she finished, feeling somewhat ashamed of the fate that had been chosen for Jak. Max couldn't help feel the same way,

"Well yeah that was how the names went down the roster with me in the top slot," Max said as if it didn't phase her at all but then her gaze darted downward as Jak's fell upon her, "So you were supposed to get this then?" Jak said solemnly and Max could feel her heart compress in her chest because no matter how much she liked to deny it she did have a conscience and there was another reason why she hadn't been there for the injection process. Both Jak and Amber could see the battle Max fought with in and Amber looked at Jak as if wiling him to say something and he nodded his head in agreement, "Well I guess I can't blame you if I would have had as much information as you did I probably won't have been around for the injections either, and I guess it's also not so unreasonable to trust you after all you did get us out of there." Max looked up but the same cold smirk fell upon her face,

"Okay stop trying to make me barf and I guess you guys aren't that bad either considering we do all have something in common right? We all want to see those two bastards up there fall dead." What Max said made both Jak and Amber smile and they all walked on.

"I got one question how do you know all that Amber, if they never did it to you." Daxter asked, and Amber eyes widen in amusement and a smile crept a crossed her face. Jak glanced at her with suspicion and Max just laughed aloud, getting what Amber was so mildly showing. Not all guards were the hard brutes they seemed to be, some were even fairly decent guys.

"Come on let's just go!" Jak said, starting down the street, Amber followed and Max stood there placing her hands at her hips shacking her head at their simple minded way of getting around. She grabbed one of the loose zoomers and rode up beside them,

"I suppose you like walking other wise there are better ways of getting around." She watched Amber's face light up with excitement. Jak stood there shacking his head and helped Amber up on to the zoomer behind Max. They waited for him to find his own zoomer then took off at top speeds toward their destination.

XxXxXxXxX

When they reached the hide out they were confronted by a very tough looking and buxom girl. Max looked passed and saw man that was most likely their Mr. Torn. Jak moved in front of Max and Amber to confront the women that stood in front of them. Max looked at the woman an smirked, _ boy must be one of their pleasure hoes,_ she thought silently with a smirk across her face.

"We're looking for a guy named Torn. Kor sent us," Jak started to tell the woman as a gruff-looking man interrupted them getting really close to Jak's face, "Um… are you… Torn?" Jak asked. Daxter leaned in between the two looking at both of them carefully.

"Maybe this guy's a mute like you used to be…" Daxter remarked, Max looked from Daxter then back to Torn, and saw that Torn showed no amusement. Torn backed away from Jak and studied Max and Amber that stood behind Jak. Torn had already heard of Jak and Max and knew they were looking to stir up some trouble in the city or more trouble in Max's case, but the other girl he had never seen before.

"New faces make me nervous. Word is your out to join the fight for the city. You know picking the wrong side could be… unhealthy." Torn said to them, Amber shook from the words and Torn smiled pleased that he had at least frightened one of the group, but it wasn't so much that Amber was scared she just never knew who much freakier it would be to talk to Torn as a really person after all in her world or whatever this was all just a game and she still wasn't sure if she was dead or in a comma still at home. Plus what was different about being here and now was the fact that the girl Max was never in the game which meant there had to be some reality to this.

"Un-healthy my ass." Max said back, stepping in front of Amber and causing her to lose her train of thought at the sudden out burst.

"Well then you must be the one every one in the city likes to talk about. Young girl about your height, weight, build, auburn color hair, and the striking green eyes. Your reputation proceeds you, fighting Errol first hand when you show up, escaping prison countless time, even stirring up some trouble in the palace." Torn started down the list of things Max had done over the last two years since arriving. Jak and Amber both stared at Max not really expecting some of it but then again it all fit her cocky attitude. She was smiling nodding her head to almost all of it.

"Well I try to keep myself busy, but that thing at the docks wasn't my doing but it was great the way they had planned it out." Max's voice was filled with happiness and excitement as she recalled some of the madness she had caused, "Plus it pisses Errol off to no ended that he can't stop me and then he gets in trouble for the shit I caused so what can I say… Nonetheless I own him another pounding" Max spat with the utmost of hatred in her tone, Jak and Daxter glanced at each other but all of them seemed to know the feeling although Max had put a little more behind the subject as if there was something else she hated Errol for other then locking her in prison.

"Max! We want to see the shadow." Jak interrupted trying to get back to the point of their whole visit. Max huffed and crossed her arms turning away from the conversation.

"Huh, huh, huh. Not likely. If you want to join something, why don't you, miss mouthy, peep squeak, and your pet go join the circus. Unless you've got the fur for a really tough task. Steal the Baron's banner from the top of the ruin tower and bring it back to me. Then maybe we'll talk. But first, Tess take the peep squeak and get her some cloths that won't make her stand out so much." Torn instructed, Amber glared at him feeling none of the fright she had before, but he only gave her a sly smile as she followed Tess into the hide out. Max leaned against one of the walls thinking about things that rarely mattered, like how birds could fly and people couldn't. Amber came back out a few minutes later in a pair of pants at least two sizes to big for her slender figure and a normal length tank top, and the same boots from the prison most likely being the only thing that could fit her. She walked over to Jak and Max, looking at both of them then back at Torn before they left the ally.

"Could they have possibly gotten you a bigger pair of pants?" Max said looking at the meager rope that held the pants around Amber's waist. She looked down at the pants as well, sure they were baggy and very big but at least the person had been short enough for her to walk without tripping over them. Amber looked back up wishing she had her bag with all her own clothing in it.

"Well at least she doesn't stick out like a sore thumb any more but then…" Jak paused and looked at the two young girls in front of him and for the first time since meeting them both he realized that they weren't the same in one aspect, ear size… Max stopped in front of Jak with an eyebrow raised at his expression, and Amber stopped a pace behind her.

"You were going to say?" Max started then realized for her self what he was getting at. "Oh right the ear thing hmm, how do we put this. Oh if you haven't noticed we're not from the same planet, let alone the same dimension." She sounded a bit irritated, then pushed past Jak to the zoomers they had parked earlier. Jak turned still staring between the two of them. Amber smiled at him as she went by and to the zoomers. The raise in Max's voice had caught Daxter's attention but he still wasn't quite on topic, his focus was more toward the women that walked by.

"So wait a minute you are from … then how the hell did you get here, and where the hell did you come from?" Jak stammered. He hopped on to the zoomer in front of him then put his hand down for Amber. She took it and he pulled her up, his gaze was still fixed on Max. Confusion mixed with a little anger, at Max's attitude, crossed his strong features.

"Well I was getting to that but now I don't feel like telling you." Max glanced over her shoulder at Jak and Amber on the zoomer behind her. Jak was still annoyed and Amber looked that way too. "Alright, alright don't throw a hissy fit now. Juess, well one day during school, which I decided not to go, instead I went wandering through the woods. It wasn't like there was any thing better to do with out getting caught by the cops. And I came a cross this really neat old bunker. It was kind of like one of those sci-fic things goin' on. So I decided I wanted to look in to it, which brought my friends in to it and well. We got the place working and we just decided that we wanted to see what the place could do. Turns out it was a lab studying dimensional rifts, and when we decided to leave it was the perfect time because we were in a shit load of trouble, and as you can see we ended up here. Oh and we came from a planet called Erath, San Diego, California." Max started out; Amber wasn't entirely surprised by where Max had come from, but she had friends here and they had all come through a gate. She wasn't so lucky, it ran through her mind so often now that she had learned to ignore by now. But this time it was different she didn't have anything to occupy her mind, she remember the man being on the road, her foot slamming on the breaks and steering out of the way, then the guards rails on the side of the road, and the blinding light, which is the only reason she kept thinking she was dead. She really had considered the fact that she was dead on numerous occasions, but when no heavenly spirit came froth to take her from the world she gave a guess that that wasn't it at all.

"Almost like the way we got here Dax," Jak directed the statement at the orange rodent on his shoulder and Daxter nodded his head then Jak went back to talking to Max and Amber, "So then that must make the two of you friends then?" Max's zoomer slowed abruptly and Jak almost rammed into the back end. She turned on her zoomer and took a careful look at Amber, it was a few long uncomfortable moments before Max said anything.

"Nope I've never seen her in my life!" She turned around and started off again, Jak glanced at Amber then to Max and back again, all this was starting to confuses him but followed after Max anyway. _Not that I'd ever want to know a person like her, Cassie and Sierra are both way better._ Amber thought turning up her nose.

"So wait a minute you two don't know each other, but you look the same? Then that means you both come from different home worlds as well?" Jak said over the roar of the wind that whipped passed them. Amber brushed the hair from her face with one hand and held Jak around the waist with the other. If she was scared of any thing in this world it would be these two's driving skills.

"Well it is possible for us to come from the same world, which I'm assuming is true, it's just that we're from different areas of our home world. Kind of like living on different ends of this city. Some people never leave their section of the city so they don't have the chance to meet any one in the other sections." Max explained, they were starting to slow down now and then turned off into another ally like the one before. Max hopped off her zoomer first to look around and sure enough there was an exit from the city in a hallowed out pit. Jak helped Amber off the zoomer and they went to stand next to Max.

"Well what do you think?" Max asked to no one in particular, Jak shook his head and turned to face Max. Just as he opened his mouth there was a sound of rubble sliding behind him. Jak and Max faced the pit again and Amber was already at the large mechanical door looking back at them.

"Well are you coming or are you going to stand there all day." She said smiling up at them, _god could this get any worse?, _Jak looked at Max and she shrugged her shoulders then follow after the young girl.

Jak reached the bottom and walked into the small room between the city and dead town, "So then ah… how do you plan on getting back?" Jak asked staring at Max, then turned his attention on Amber. She stood silently in front of the other door and waited patiently for it to open not daring to glance back. "And what about you Amber, if you didn't come with Max and her friends then how'd you get here?" the question seemed to startle Amber and when she turned to look at the other she looked more fragile and weak then when they had gotten her out of the prison cell. Both Jak and Max's expressions of toughness and strength changed as well; Amber looked down at the ground and didn't say anything her thoughts were some where else when the second door open .

"Anyway, listen all I care about at this moment is making allies, finding Alex and Kya and Beating the shit put pf Errol. So if you don't want my help or if you don't want to help that's fine with me! Because as I have proved for two years now that I can handle myself." Max told him and started for the out side of the city. The look in her eyes had been serious, Jak could tell she wasn't playing around, like when they first meet, she hadn't wanted to go back for Amber and it seemed like she didn't want to be anywhere near the prison. Just then something occurred to him, he followed after her and silently Amber followed them both; her mind still in the gutter from the pervious question.

"Hey I didn't mean that in a bad way.." Jak started to say, his attention was so focused on her, he didn't even notice the scene around him. Max put her hand to his cheek and turned his head to the ruin city that lie before them. Jak just stared with her for a moment, they had never seen so much destruction in one place before. Amber had walked on a little further, her expression was of pure terror. Sure she had seen all kinds of this stuff in school but it all felt like nothing compared to being in the middle of this now.

"I get what it means when they call this place dead town." Max said as she looked around at the dismay. _I never thought I'd actually see this, I mean in the movie it was cool and all but this is awful_, Max thought. Jak moved past her, _so this is what happens if your not careful. How could anyone do this?_ They all felt the same pain inside that not one of them could describe.

"Come on lets get moving." Jak told Max. He walked up to Amber who was standing the furthest in to the destruction and Max caught up to them and they started down the path. It was eerie and quiet all except for some sounds of creatures that lived in the crevasses of the walls. Just then was a sudden fury of hissing and snarling that came from around the corner, Max went up a head to investigate and Jak and Amber followed more slowly. As they rounded the corner they found a couple of small creatures charging at each other, they collided with a fury of biting, hissing, and clawing. As soon as the brawl was over one was left standing on the path and the other took to the water. Max glanced sideways at Jak then step forward toward the creature. Amber wasn't sure that was a good idea but when she went to stop Max, Jak stopped her instead a smile forming on his face. Max crept closer to the small green creature and it turned toward her and stared up at her with big green eyes. Max looked back at the others and just as she did the creature reared up, Max felt the change and as the creature jumped at her she stumbled back and landed on her hands. The creature kept running toward her; Max brought her arms up as it lunged in for her face. Jak moved in front of Max allowing the creature to hit his legs, it bounced back. When it got up it took one look at Jak and ran off.

"What the fuck was that things problem?" Max asked, Jak offered his hand to her and she took hold. He pulled her to her feet, but pulled a little to hard and she fell in to him. Amber watched them and smiled as they looked at each other for a moment then Max pushed him away and Amber laughed at them.

"You did that on purpose!" Max yelled at him. Jak was taken a back by the anger in her tone and Amber stopped laughing and just stared at the two. _This is going to be fun, these two are going to fight the whole time. Either that or fall madly in love and not even know it._ She thought to her self she, _either way it ouat to be fun, I'll just make sure I don't get in the way of either of them that could just end badly. _

"What I just pulled you up." Jak said back, Max grabbed up a hand full of dirt and threw it at him. "What was that for?" He shouted to her. Her hands were placed at her hips and her green eyes had fire burning in them. But Jak also stood his ground, Daxter on the other hand jumped off his shoulder and crawled up on to Amber's, neither of them wanted to get in between Jak and Max. For all they knew Jak would turn in to his demon self again, and Daxter already knew Max had quite the attitude.

"I really hope they aren't going to do this all the time. It might get worse then old log heads lectures." Daxter whispered into Amber's ear making her giggle a little.

"Oh sorry I just don't like pervs like you trying to feel me up is all, so keep your hands off." Max told him with an angry tone but the strange look in her eyes told both Amber and Jak that she wasn't exactly angry but more or less she was all of a sudden panicked like have Jak's and her bodies touch was bad, she turned around and started in the direction of the ruin towers not saying another thing.

"What do you mean all I did was help you up. Do you always act like this." Jak asked as he was about to start after her Amber put her hand on his shoulder. Jak looked down at her, she wore a sullen expression and shook her head as if to tell him that was a bad idea. Then abruptly Amber followed Max leaving Jak I his confusion, but when he could figure nothing out he just ran after the two.

XxXxXxXxX

A deep silence had fallen over them all as they jumped over small areas of waste and on to the different islands that were scattered around in it. They moved on to more dry land and took out some bigger creatures that were in their way, both of them taking out anger, while Daxter and Amber stood back and watched. They crossed over a small walk way and up a few stone steps. When they got to the top of the steps they made their way along a wall path. The path lead them around to a dilapidated floor. They took out the creatures that occupied the floor and then stopped again.

"I can't believe you actually thought I'd feel you up. You aren't the prettiest girl in the world." _Jak just has put more gas on the fire doesn't he, _Amber thought to her self as Jak directed the statement to Max who had bent down to examine one of the creatures. Amber shook her head at Jak in disapproval but he didn't seem to catch it and went on prying. "I mean I thought it was a good gesture."

"Well that's good because I'm not here to impress you or anyone else." Max told him both calmly and coolly, she lifted the creature's head and checked it for anything unusual. Surprisingly Max had taken what Jak said unexpectedly well, normally any girl would be offended by what he had said even Amber who tried her best at not caring about what anyone said, but she guessed that Max wasn't like any other girl.

"And pulse, wait what'd you say? You agree with me?" Jak was confused; he thought she'd blow up at him for saying that. Any normal girl would have, but then again Max didn't seem like any other normal girl. He looked to Amber but it was for nothing because she only shrugged her shoulders.

"You heard me." She said calmly, "Hey these things don't seem all that harmful. We could probably just leave them alone and they'll do the same to us." Max told him as she put the creature back down to the ground. Jak just stared at her not only were her fighting skills amazing but all together there was something different about her. "Hey are you even listening to me. No probably not to interested in your own problems." Max pushed past him and followed another path atop a wall, around a corner and to the right. She stopped at a four way inter section. Jak followed after her still not getting what she was saying and Amber followed silently behind.

"So wait a minute, I don't get it you don't want guys to like you or something?" Jak asked as they walked on.

"Bingo" She stated looking around at their surroundings, off to the right there was another path and up a head the path stopped abruptly and fell into the waste below. They'd have to take the long way around if they wanted to get to the next part of the path. Just as she turned Jak was standing in front of her path, "You mind we do have a mission to finish," Max let out irritated; Jak had seemed to be in deep thought when the sudden irritation in Max's voice seemed to stir him. He looked at her then nodded, but just as he stepped out of the way so that she could move around him Daxter piped up with one of those questions you just don't ask people.

"So dose that mean you're a lesbian?" All three of them darted glares at the rodent and he knew he was in trouble and as quick as he could he shot a hand up over his mouth. Max shook her head making her way down the path followed closely by Amber. For a moment Jak just stood there watching the two thinking of how different they both were from the women he knew. _I wonder what made her feel that way._

"Hey Jak you coming?" Amber called back to him in a sweet tone and he waved running to catch up with them.

XxXxXxXxX

"Kya report!" a yell came in over her communicator. Kya's head shot up from the control panel she had lain it on and she grabbed the communicator from her side, it was Torn's voice which only meant one of two things he had another mission for her or there was news to be passed on. She hadn't heard from any one in days and it was starting to get on her nerves, nonetheless it had been a year since Alex had disappeared no one had seen or heard from her. To top it all off there was still no way of getting home, _god has it been long enough._

"Still no sign of movement out here. There's been a few guard patrols though. Hey any sign of my friends, Max and Alex?" Kya asked, as she looked out over the strip mine, tiring not to sound to irritate as she spoke, she waited for her call to get through and for an answer.

"Actually that's why I called, Max has come by the hideout. Right now I have sent her and some guy named Jak out to prove themselves to the under ground. I want you to get back here ASAP. I'll be going out to meet them soon." Torn said through the communicator. "You remember all those incidents we've been hearing out of the guards lately. Well turns out your friend has been the one firing up all the rocket and the Baron ain't to happy about it, but we'll talk about that later just get back here."

"Yes sir." Kya replied, she put away the communicator and a big smile came over her face. _Finally one of them has shown back up, thank god too. I was starting to get worried they'd never come back. But why didn't I see that in the first place I mean all those stunts sound exactly like Max._

"Hey Vickers, could you take over here. Torns' called me back for some thing." Kya asked as she pasted by a man sitting in a chair snoozing. He woke up when she swatted him with his magazine.

"Huh, what, yeah sure I'll take over. See yeah later then." Vickers called to her as she left. Kay climbed down from their post and headed for the warp gate. _I wonder how she's been for the past two years?_ Kya thought as she passed through the warp gate.

XxXxXxXxX

They were all silent and it was starting to get awkward so Daxter decided to break it by asking another question that got him in to some more.

"I've got one last question for you, do all the girl s on your planet look as sexy as the two of you do?" Max's eye grew huge and Amber face turned red and her gaze darted to the ground. Jak shook his head and with out warning Max's fist went flying by his head and Daxter flow through the air landing on the ground with a load thump. Amber looked on stunned, Jak froze as Max brought her hand back and shook it off. When Max turned away again Jak knelt down next to Daxter who was looking up at the sky holding his stomach.

"What'd I say?" Daxter moaned as Jak picked him up from the ground.

"You got what you disserved." Was all Jak said then walked after Max, who had stormed off ahead. He followed her to the platform up ahead and they faced a few more creatures and then a climbed up a few stone stairs. Before Max started walking on she looked at the stone bridge, it seemed safe enough so Max started to cross it. Just as she took her second step out on to it the stone began to buckle and crumble beneath her feet. The sound of stone cracking and splashing in to the muck below confirmed that the bridge wasn't going to last. Jak and Amber watched in horror as Max took a leaping step to get a cross.

"Max!" Jak ran out shoving Max to give her enough momentum to get a cross the gap, stumbling and jumping a cross just as the rock disappeared from under foot. He tucked in to a roll stopping on one knee to look back at the gapping whole where the stone bridge had been only a few seconds earlier. Max lie next to him, she rolled over and looked up at him then back at the gapping whole as well. "You okay?" he asked, finally breathing out. Max gave a slight nod of her head then pushed her self into a sitting position.

"Thanks." She whispered, at the same time they both realized what had happened and who they had left on the other side. Max's gaze met that of Jak's then over to the other ledge that had been connected to the bridge, Amber stood there staring at them. A amusement flashed in her bright blue as a she laughed at the two. "Hey you going to be okay over there by your self?" Max yelled as she got to her feet, next to her Jak did the same. Amber stopped laughing and looked around at her surroundings, the ledge was pretty much cut off from any where but they way they had come so,

"Well yeah it's not like I'm getting over there any time soon." Amber yelled back, a half smile forming across her face thinking it was stupid for Max to assume she was going anywhere.

"Well I for one am not okay, I think I lost my lunch. And you could have gotten us killed what were you thinking?" Daxter shouted at Max. Max looked at Daxter then to Jak, she and Jak started laughing. Across the gully Amber was laughing as well; Daxter grumbled, rolled his eyes, and crossed his arms not at all amused at the situation.

"Oh, come on Daxter where's your since of adventure." Max asked him as she dusted off her pants and turned toward the tower they now had to climb. Her gaze rose up to the top of the structure which caused her to crane her head all the way back. It was eerie and ominous but at the same time gave off the feeling of how small you were to the world around you.

"Amber, we'll be right down okay. So just stay there." Max heard Jak tell Amber then she started toward the stairs off to their right. They weren't like normal stairs that you could just step up on to, but they came up to Max's chest, _oh what fun this will be,_ she complained to her self then placed her hand at the edge and lifted her up. She glanced back to make sure Jak was coming then continued on.

"Huh yeah where the hell am I going to go anyway. If you haven't noticed we're in the middle of a dead city not the best place to go exploring, but…" Amber said quietly as she watched Jak and Max start up the stairs. When they disappeared from sight she looked around at the dismal surroundings, she heard some splashing of the muck and other worried sounds that gave her the chills, "Maybe I will stay here." A chilled wind swept a cross the murky water that the ruins were submerged in, voices of the past seemed to come to life with every movement telling the sad story of what had happened to the once proud a over crowed part of the city. Amber sat down on the ground and leaned back on her hands to listen to what the wind had to say nonetheless it calmed her nerves.

XxXxXxXxX

"You know I don't think she's as helpless as she might seem." Max said looking over her shoulder, Jak too looked over his shoulder as he lifted himself to the next ledge. "Yeah I think you're right, but still she not like us and it would make me fell better if we just kept an eye on her," Jak put in and Max nodded her head in agreement, _it's kind of like how Al and I would protect Kya,_ "Come on let's get this done before Torn begins to think we're dead." Max looked at the path before her, it looked safe enough but the last time she thought that the stone bridge had crumble beneath her feet. Jak stopped be hide her, "You want me to go first?" he offered but Max didn't move. Just then a movement down by their feet caught her eye and her gaze darted down to the strangest looking lizard the scampered out to the path ahead of them. Just as it did the stone buckled and the lizard jumped up to the wall on it's right. Max looked back at Jak then took a running leap over the half crumpled walk way landing on the other side, She looked back to Jak for him to follow.

They climbed up high around the out side of the old palace, until they came to a two where the path fell away and there wasn't any where else they could go, "Heh, guess we have to go back there's no path from here out." Daxter said as he turned and was ready to go back the way they had come.

"Daxter don't tell me that you're chicken. Come on there are a few pole sticking out of the wall here. We'll just use them to get a crossed." Jak told him and pointed to the poles. Max smiled, she liked the way Jak thought pretty much reminder her of her self, dangerous and willing to try anything once if it didn't kill her.

"Oh great." Daxter climb back up on Jak shoulder and Jak jumped to the first pole. Once he had gotten to the second pole Max jumped out to the first, _nothing to it just like back home with Jane_, she thought as she flipped over the pole once, twice then letting go and flying through the air for a moment until her grasp reached the next pole. They reached the final ledge and climbed a few more steps to where the Baron's banner was sitting.

Max stood back as Jak and Daxter grabbed hold of the banner. Just as Jak and Daxter were about to break out in to their victory pose, the ruined tower started to buckle beneath their feet, sending them all tumbling down in to the muck below. Jak nimbly landed on the ground after performing some acrobatic tricks and caught Max as she fell into his arms; but Daxter on the other hand was not so fortunate he fell face first into the ground. Just as Torn, Amber, and another agent of the under ground approached, the ruined tower crumbled into a heaping pile of rubble, behind them.

"Daxter are you okay?" Amber ran down the steps and knelt besides his orange body, Torn and the other followed her down the stairs and stood in front of them. Torn tilted to the side and stared at the pile of rumble that used to be a tower and nodded his head, an amazed look fell across his face.

"Ah, Jak, put me down." Max said, meeting his gaze half annoyed and very, very uncomfortable. As if he had zoned he looked down at her and came back. "Oh right." Jak put Max down, she half scooted away then unruffled her clothing. Next to her Amber stood with Daxter held in her arms. Torn's gaze finally left the rubble and was fixed on them now.

"Yeah I guess you guys are in. Oh and before I forget, this is one of our agents. She'll assist you on any of your missions." Torn said as he pointed to the girl. Torn left them together, he headed back to the air lock already knowing that the two wound figure it out. Max just stared at the girl, it was as if she know her but…

"I'm Jak and this is," Jak introduced his self first then looked to Amber.

"Amber and Daxter." She smiled looking up at him; Daxter was now standing on her shoulder glaring at Jak who just shrugged his shoulders. "And that's Max. What about you, got a name?" Jak asked he glanced at Max who was staring at the young women as if she knew her but didn't. The girl stood there for a moment then move to take her helmet off, just as it was lifted long dark hair fell around the petit shoulders and then Dark piercing eye appeared.

"Yeah I know who she is but it was nice meeting the rest of you. My name is Kya Knorr, top intelligence officer of the underground forces. It's been a long time hasn't it Max?" Max's eye flared with excitement when the rather young looking girls face appeared from under the helmet. Almost simultaneously the two girls walked toward each other with their arms spread. Jak watched as they hugged for the longest time and realized that this must have been one of the friends Max had been talking about.

"Um, did we miss something?" Daxter asked looking down at Amber, she shrugged her shoulder. She wasn't quite as confused as Daxter but then again she did know a lot more then people would expect.

"Yeah explain." Jak said, Amber stood next to him as the two girls broke apart and started to laugh. Max and Kya looked over at Jak, Amber, and Daxter's clueless faces, and then laughed again.

" Sorry guys this is one of my best friends." Max explained looking over at Kya was relief, it had been so long and who knew that Kya would be where they first looked. Jak nodded his head as he had figured that was what it was and Amber joined in.

"Come on we should probably get back. Most likely Torn has another mission for you three and I've got to get back to the strip mines." Kya said looking down at the watch around her wrist, Jak nodded in agreement. One by one they climbed back up the stone steps and Kya lead the way back to the air lock on the other side of the ruin city.

"Hey Kya you don't by any chance happen to have my stuff back at the hide out?" Max asked looking down at the apparel she wore now. A pair of tight tan caprices held up with a deep brown belt and with a tank top and a tan leather jacket. It was all fashionable but just not what Max liked to wear and plus the pants and shirt were a bit to small for her. Kya looked over the out fit and laugh silently to herself, _yeah that's not her at all._

"Yes we did have the decency to keep your stuff, you can change when we get back." Kya told her, Max nodded her thanks and they follow Jak and Amber in to the air lock.

XxXxXxXxX

Back in the city, they each grabbed a zoomer. Max and Kya on separate and Jak helped Amber up behind him and followed Kya back to the Underground hide out. Every one was quietly reflecting on what had gone on in the past few hours, it was hard to believe how fast things were going and they hadn't been out of the prison more then two hours. When they reached the underground hide out Kya lead the way in followed close by Max and then the others. Kya grabbed Max's bags as the others settled in and Max went to change.

"I was wondering when the four of you would get back." Torn's voice sounded from be hind Jak. He walked around the table at the center of the room. "Wait, Kya where's the other…" Torn didn't even get to finish what he was about to say, when Max came back out form the back room she was wearing what could be considered an outfit, a pair of ripped up jeans that only reached to below her hips, a black t-shirt the design on the front in a light gray with the letters a.i.e. in white curvy lines, with her favorite brown cotton jacket ending just above her hips. Her hands were cover by a pair of black leather gloves and a belt hung from her waist with two holsters on it, and they weren't empty two rather large weapons he had never seen before were neatly in place, and atop her head were a pair of black sun glasses; Jak wasn't sure why she'd need them since a thick layer of smog normally covered the city but he didn't bother asking. He just looked her up then down and did a double take._ Wow well it's better then before._ Jak thought to himself, then shot the thought away, now wasn't the time to think like that nor was it the place.

"So where will we be risking our lives at next? And what's the prize? And you know it feels so good to be back in clothing that actually fits the right way." Max asked Torn in a cocky tone. Jak walked over to the table where they were all standing. Amber was already standing there watching as Daxter went to a water pipe on the wall to get a drink she wanted to say something but then thought otherwise afraid she might change something not that it would be much. Most likely Torn would still tell them about the baron turning off the water to the slums and the next mission they had to go on, but it was also one of the funnier scenes in the game so she let things be, plus she didn't want to be targeted with more questions that she couldn't really answer without changing everything.

"Whew… being a big hero sure dose make ya thirsty!" Daxter said as he turned on the water and opened wide. Jak looked at him and rolled his eyes and Max didn't bother looking her gaze transfixed on the maps that were scattered all over the table.

"Daxter wait…" Kya said and put up her hand, Amber smiled at the girls' effort but it was already to late. Torn quickly grabbed Kya's hand and put it back down, just as mud started poring out of the pipe. He smirked and Max finally turned her attention away from the maps as Daxter spat out what was in his mouth already and turned off the water. There were a few laughs but, then everything got silent and monotone.

"The Baron turned off all the water to the slums… He's willing to sacrifice innocent lives just to destroy the underground; I shouldn't be surprised. I've seen his evil before, while serving in the Krimzon Guard. That's why I quit." Torn started, his expression no better then the one that fell in across Kya's face. Concern flashed across Amber's face as well, her crystal blue eyes hit the floor immediately as she thought back to the old women she had met when she had first came to this strange yet very familiar world.

"You were a Krimzon Guard? Huh, that explains your… charming sense of humor." Jak said raising his hand to his chin then away again, Max turned her head away so that no one would hear her snicker.

"My friend in the Guard tells me the value to turn the water back on is located out side the city, at the pumping station." Torn continued ignoring the comment completely. Max looked at him with a weird glance, then under her breath said, "Okay have fun," so that no one would hear her.

"Out side the city? What about the security walls?" Jak asked him, Amber looked up from the floor as she remembered the large walls that surrounded the city. When she had first plain the game she had wondered what they were for but as the story rolled out it had become clear that the walls were not only to keep the metal heads out but also to keep the people in and under the barons rule. Apparently the Baron didn't know how to rule the whole world just a portion, _lucky for the world but bad for the people inside the walls including myself._ "What about the Metal Heads? It ain't no petting zoo out there… peeps be getting deep sixed!" Daxter shouted at the both of them.

Torn ignored him and went on. " Find the large drain pipe in the north wall. It will take you outside the city to the pumping station. Get to the main value and open it. If you survive, the slums will be indebted to you. If not maybe we'll have a touching moment of silence, in your honor." He finished. Max glanced at him again; this time she looked a little annoyed. Jak started toward the door and the others followed him in silence. Out side Kya was about to say her good bye when something crossed her mind,

"Max I almost forgot to tell you, mmm, Alex sort of went missing around the time you were taken to prison." Kya ventured cautiously and Max turned toward her on the ball of her feet. Her expression was a mixture of concern, fear, and anger but she said nothing, "It was about two weeks after you were taken in. Torn had people out looking for her but she was nowhere to be found and things started to get worse in the city. He did the best he could but… I'm worried about her and then when we met back up today I was hoping we could maybe go look for her together. At least when we aren't busy…" Max didn't look up and barley gave a nodded her thoughts were back to the day she and Alex had been fighting back home she thought she had been over it but here it was like there was this nagging feeling that said she should still be wary of Alex. Kya said goodbye to the others and glanced back at Max before hopping on to the nearest zoomer and taking off toward the strip mines again. Jak flashed a look at Amber and she shrugged her shoulders, neither of them was sure of what had just happened. Amber walked toward the zoomers that were parked next to the buildings and as Jak passed Max he put a hand on her shoulder then walked over to Amber and started to help her on to the zoomer. Max stood in the dimly lit ally and looked up at the clear blue sky, in the pit of her stomach she wanted to go after Kya and tell her that everything was going to be all right. That they'd find Alex and the portal and go home, but the nagging feeling at the back of her mind said something was going to go very wrong, but then again some things were already very wrong.

XxXxXxXxX

Jak walked out of the air lock first followed by the two young girls, the scene was amazing, a bright green and golden beach, jagged and steep cliffs that gave enough shade to keep the beach cool. To their right a bright blue and green ocean that expanded to the horizon. Sun light flickered across the sand and every thing was so peaceful. Amber stepped out on to the sand with a huge smile across her face,

"This is great!" She said excitedly, she reached down to pull off her shoes forgetting that in the game there were metal heads here. She was far to excited to worry about everything or anything for that matter, being in prison had that effect on people non the less the dullness of the city always put people in a fowl mood so it was about time for a change in mood and scenery, "This place is a lot nicer then back in the city."

"Yeah I know what you mean." Max said back, all of a sudden there was a low growling noise from somewhere near by. Amber looked up at the noise and noticed about two or three creatures slowly making their way towards them. She left her shoes and socks where they were on the ground and slowly back toward Jak and Max, _Shit how could I forget this isn't some damn vacation it's a war with three sides nonetheless._

"Jak those are Metal Heads!" Daxter yelled out, he hid be hide Jak's head and waited for some thing to happen. Max grabbed Amber by the arm and half pulled half pushed her behind her,

"Duck!" Max yelled. Jak fell to the ground instantly. Amber watched Max pull the two weapons from their holster and start firing at the metal head grunts. The explosion form the rounds were loud as hell and as Amber put her hands to her ears she saw Jak do the same. Thinking to her self she figure with the abilities Jak had gained from the dark eco injection and the animal instincts it must have been worse for him. She squeezed her eyes shut as about four more rounds went off making six in all.

Jak lifted his head and stared at the lifeless bodies of the metal heads; he rolled over on to his side and looked at Max. She walked over to him and offered her hand to him. "Sorry, about that but I really don't want this to take to long!" Max said as she pulled him to his feet. Amber opened her eyes glancing over at the lifeless bodies of the metal heads. As soon as she was sure they were dead she ran over to where her shoes and socks were and slipped them back on as fast as she could.

"You okay?" Jak asked her as she walked back over to them, Amber nodded. "Not like I haven't been around guns before, but those are powerful. What are they Max, forty fives?" Amber asked, she had a feeling they weren't but that was the only large hand weapon that came to mind, nonetheless just about the only one she had ever fired besides a twenty two. "Actually they're a set of specialized desert eagles and that I believe was the first time I've ever fired them. They got one hell of a kick right." Max said with a half smile but neither Jak nor Amber were amused.

"What!" Daxter came out from behind Jak's head ranting and raving just as normally. "You mean you could have gotten… us… killed if they hadn't worked!" As Daxter went farther into to detail his anger began to fade and if his skin weren't covered in hair they were all sure that he'd be as pale as a ghost by now. His mouth fell open as he stared blankly at Max; her smile changed in to a weird expression and she slightly pulled her head back. Jak literally did the same but with the orange tuft of fur sitting on his shoulder it was a little harder to get away.

"Ooookay shall we get on with this?" Amber asked reminding them all why they were out there in the first place. Max nodded and before they started toward the platforms that were ahead of them she reached up and pushed Daxter's lower jaw back up into place. Amber huffed a kind of laugh and they all started across the sand.

Max was the first to ride the raising plat forms to the upper ledge, when it rose high enough she peered over to see two of the green creatures that had attacked her early that day. She pulled out one of her guns and took careful aim with the weapon far enough away from her head so that the backlash of it wouldn't hit her; it was over in a matter of moments. She jumped on to the ledge motioning for the others to follow, Jak helped Amber on to one of the pistons then hopped on him self before it got out of reach. When they jumped over to the ledge he noticed Max was looking out over the sea to the setting sun on the horizon, looking back at Amber and Daxter who were arguing about something he decide to take a few moments to talk to Max. Lose strands of her hair were flowing with the soft breeze that blew over the beach, he lightly touched her shoulder and she turned their gazes meeting. Surprisingly her eyes were an impressive shade of green like the trees around them, he quickly turned his stare out to the water, when the moment started to get weird.

"So your friend seemed pretty upset but there," He started knowing her gaze was still upon him, "Uh is everything alright?" As soon as he finished the feeling of her piercing gaze left and out of the corner of his eye he saw that she to was looking out over the water. Oddly enough the setting sun did her softly tanned skin justices and made the red tones in her hair stand out. Max shifted slightly, she wasn't sure if she should admit that she was worried but with everything that was going on and everything that had happed she felt at a loss for everything. The feeling in her gut told her something big was going to happen with in the time coming but all she could think about was what Kya had said. "You know I'm not really sure." The words came out more softly then Jak had expected but before he could get anything out of her she turned around as Amber and Daxter's Fight came to an end.

"**Daxter would you just shut up!**" Amber yelled at the top of her lungs, she threw a hand up and over the rodents, mouth before he could say anymore. Max laughed at the outburst then stopped, "Well if that didn't alert everything in the immediate area then I'd be amazed." Amber smiled innocently as Max started laughing again, Jak looked back at the two girls having fun. He half wished that they could stay in moments like that but the reality was that it wasn't going to happen, "Hey you guys coming." Jak asked smiling at the two, Amber nodded happily but before anyone could move Max jerked her arms up, "Wait," she said quickly and the others gave her questioning looks, "He said coming" Max stated jokingly, it wasn't long before Amber and Daxter were cracking up at the head in gutter kind of joke. But Jak seemingly being the most mature out of the group at the moment rolled his eyes as Max threw her arm around his shoulders, "Oh come on dark boy live a little." Max slid her hand from around his shoulders walking ahead, _from serious to dim wit in zero point five seconds,_ Jak thought dully.

They walked over to the edge of the metal pathway and looked down, it wasn't that far of a drop but there was no way to get back up to the other side so they would have to jump to the mountain ledge if they wanted to get any where. Jak back up and Max followed they both ran at the edge at the same time and leapt over. On the other side they turned around and waited for Amber to do the same. She backed up and judged the distance,_ have you gone crazy you can't make that jump it's suicide of course there's always the possibility that you are really dead, well here goes nothing,_ she blocked out the thoughts and ran toward the edge. As she took the leap of faith her eyes were screwed shut until she felt her feet touch the ground again then stumble forward. She opened her eyes looking from side to side, she had made it and nothing was damaged at least the she knew of. Jak nodded and walked over to the next ledge just below was a large drainpipe connected to another cliff side.

"They couldn't make this easy could they?" Daxter asked from Amber's shoulder. Max looked back at him then jumped down to the pipe below, Jak followed with no trouble, then Amber. Max looked up at the ledge above, _to high to climb, but…_

"Hey Jak stand over there just under the ledge and put your hands together." Max instructed, Jak looked at her for a moment then did what she had said. Max watched, laughed, and shook, "God you are just to easy to order around. Do you always do everything you're told?" Max joked, for a moment Jak had to think about it,

"What? No not all the time, anyway what are you going to do?" Jak asked as he set him self up, mentally kicking himself for letting Max get to him, he couldn't say he hated her but he wasn't sure if her could say he liked her either. Max giggled under her breath before explaining herself,

"Well since there's no way to climb up or jump up, I was thinking you could just lift me and Amber up and then we could help you up." Jak nodded judging both Max's and Amber's sizes before bending down, Max put her foot on his hands and Jak lifted her easily. Max peered over the edge to check for any more metal heads then climbed up. At the top there were a couple of the little green creatures they had decided to call goobers and one of the orange things, snorkel tooth. She took them out quickly as Jak raised Amber up and over the ledge. Max went back to the ledge and with a little hard pulling finally got Jak up with them, "God you weigh a ton." Max jabbed but before the comment registered the energy around them changed,

"Guys look out!" Jak yelled; he pushed Amber aside as a creature came charging toward them. Jak jumped out of the way just in time but Max had just turned around, her eyes widened then narrowed again. The creature was almost on top of her when she sidestepped and the creature went barreling over the cliff in to the water below. Max walked over and looked out to where it had landed, it was only about two feet from the cliffs base and it snapped up at her in an angry huff then waddled away.

"Right I almost forgot you're the one that caused almost all the ciaos in the city nonetheless escaping form the prison numerous times." Jak said to her as he pushed himself from the ground. He was obviously angry but why Max could figure out all she had done was the only thing she could do, but then again she had acted cocky about it, all the same Jak's anger only angered her.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Max shot back, they were both glaring at each other form opposite sides of the ledge. Amber and Daxter stayed back watching as both their tempers flared up. "Who do think would win in a fight?" Daxter whispered down to Amber, she looked up to his then to Jak and Max then back again. She thought about it for a while but the only thing she could come up with is that they'd be an even match, "Even, but do you really think they'd fight each other?" She asked wondering how the two really felt about each other, sometimes she had seen hate but others there was an obvious connection; Daxter shrugged.

"It means… you know I don't have time for this." Jak said remembering why they were out there in the first place. He turned from Max but the anger was still there.

"Is this because you feel like you have to protect or the fact that I'm better at this stuff then you." Amber and Daxter looked at each other shocked, _this isn't gonna be good,_ Amber thought. Jak turned but Max was already moving past him toward the next path with out another word he followed then Amber but at a good distance. The next obstacle they came a crossed was a series of pipes, Jak walked out on to the first one when it started to rumble. He looked back to the others, Max just raised an eyebrow and smirked. The pipe rotated taking Jak with it, Max's smile widen and when she realized it was to late Amber was already out on the pipe trying to help Jak back up and then the pipe started to rotate again. Max threw her self out across the pipe toward Amber, but it was to late and they were all thrown to the ground as the pipe rotated again.

"You know what I just noticed we end up on the ground a lot." Amber said, she had landed on her back in between Max and Jak. Daxter stuck his upper body out from under Amber and put his head on his hands, "I second that." He agreed. Max got up and Jak did the same, they stared up at the pipe as it twisted again. They all had landed directly under it and all around them was sheer cliffs, there was no other way back up to the ledges above. Max and Jak started to bicker again, Amber picked Daxter up and put him back on her shoulder. "I bet fifty precursor orbs that Max will win this." Amber smiled and Daxter nodded his head. "What's say we find away back up there." Amber said and turned from the two. Luckily she know the place like the back of her hand and was good at acting when she came across the set of stairs back up to the cliffs top.

Max finished what she had been saying crossed her arms and turned from Jak who did the same; annoyed as she was with Jak, he was right about one thing this was partly her fault. She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned a one eighty, "Where's Amber?" Jak asked quickly, he and Max looked around but she was no where to be found, "Great as if we didn't have enough trouble. Why did she have to disappear like that?" Jak asked angrily, Max stopped in her tracks.

"Well I'm thinking I'd want to get lost too if I got stuck with two people that fought all the time," Max stated blandly, glancing back at Jak then looked down at the ground, "Sorry about the comment earlier," she apologized but was still looking the other way, "Yeah me too."

"Aw you made up how nice, so now that that's out of your systems why don't you join us up here." Amber yelled down from up on one of the cliffs, "Now if you two can keep your differences to yourselves and get along for thirty minutes then maybe I'll tell you how I got up here. But if not you two can stay down there and fight while me and Dax go find the valve." Amber shouted back down, she stood with her hands on her hips until they both agreed.

"How the hell did you guys? No wait I don't even want to know." Jak said he looked up at them,

"Don't even bother, with the fighting we've done I'm sure she's not in the mood." Jak followed Max around the platform, pretty much agreeing with Max, to the set of stairs Amber had found. They climbed up them to Amber and Daxter standing at the top waiting for them. The next pipe didn't twist or tremble at all, but running along its course was an electric coil. "Well now that's not something you see every day, so what do you think?" Max asked looking at the other two.

"Why you looking at me, you two are the hero's." Amber said glancing at the sparks that shot off the wirer.

"Why do you even ask?" Jak said, but then again he already knew what she was going to say. "Don't answer that."

"What, do you think for a moment that I was going to come back with a smart remark?" Her eye were shining again, she waited to see what he'd say, but didn't expect all three of them to answer.

"Yes!" Jak, Daxter, and Amber said together. Max's jaw dropped and she didn't say anything else. They moved on and no one said any thing until they reach the valve to turn the water back on. At least to some effect Jak and Max had learned to get along, at least if you call snapping back and forth at each other getting along.

Daxter jumped off Amber's shoulder, and walked over to the valve with Amber right behind him and the others somewhat behind her. "Ahh… the valve. Allow me," Daxter offered then with all his might he tried to turn the valve. After repeated attempts Jak intervened, he hit the pipe and the valve turned. Just as the valve was turning one of the pipes above opened up and Daxter was sucked up into the maze of the pumping station.

"Daxter!" Amber shouted, she looked up at the pipe that had sucked up Daxter helplessly and for the most part shocked, sure it had happened in the game but if this was for real would something like that actually happen.

"Ahh… yeah… where'd he go?" Max said they looked at each other and started after the pipe that had sucked up Daxter. They followed it back to where they had come out of the city and to the first platform. "Jak over here." Max called as she pointed to a nozzle on the end of a pipe, "We'll have to get the nozzle off if we want to get him out." Jak nodded getting a grasp on the metal along side of Max, "Amber the valve over there you want to turn the water pressure down?" Amber nodded and went to the valve starting to turn it. Unfortunately she had turned it in the wrong direction and Daxter came shooting out of the end of the pipe as soon as the nozzle was off.

He sat up and looked at them, "Don't say it. Don't even chuckle! Next time you turn the valve." Was all he said then flopped back down on the ground. Max smiled ,as Jak turned away, she picked Daxter back up off the ground and put him on Jak's shoulder where he belonged. They all paused for a moment and then headed back to the air lock to the city.

19


End file.
